WHOOPING cough might sound like a disease from the past, but according to new data, it appears to be on the rise in England and Wales.
The ‘100 day cough‘, as it’s otherwise known, has seen a 120 per cent rise in suspected cases in the last month, as vaccine rates in the UK have plummeted to a seven-year low.
Map reveals most dangerous places in England and Wales for whooping cough
As many as 77 people could have been infected with whooping cough in England and Wales between December 3 and 10 – over double the 35 cases reported in the week ending November 13, the government data revealed.
Places like London, North West and South East have been particularly affected by the outbreak.
The UK Health Security (UKHSA) figures come from medical practitioners referring suspected cases to the local authority or health protection team.
But, this surge in infections isn’t new, whooping cough cases have been steadily rising for the last year now.
Between July and the end of November 2023, there were 856 suspected cases of whooping cough in England and Wales.
This is nearly 600 more than the equivalent timeframe in 2021 and 2022.
So what is going on?
It’s usual for spikes of the illness, caused by either Bordetella pertussis or Bordetella parapertussis bacteria, to happen every three or four years.
Experts believe this particular spike could be a hangover from pandemic restrictions.
Prof Beate Kampmann, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told The Sun: “The rise in cases might be because of missed vaccination appointments, possibly during the Covid pandemic.”
The latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data on the maternal whooping cough vaccine programme shows that uptake of the jab has dropped to its lowest level in seven years.
Figures for 2022 show an average uptake across England of 61.5 per cent, a decrease of 3.9 per cent since 2021 and 7.6 per cent from 2020.
Coverage in London is particularly low at just 41.4 per cent.
Meanwhile, Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia said the current rates observed this winter are similar to confirmed cases in 2019.
He told the Sun: “What we are seeing here is a return to pre-pandemic levels.”
However, this is not to say we should become “complacent”.
“Back in the 1980s, we were seeing tens of thousands of notifications each year, but by the 2000s, notifications were only in the hundreds because people were getting vaccinated – this was until Covid arrived on the scene.”
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a lingering bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.
It makes sufferers gasp for breath, have difficulty breathing and battle thick mucus, and it can last for several weeks or months, meaning it is often dubbed the ‘100-day cough’.
It’s often accompanied by cold-like symptoms, such as a sore throat and running nose, which can be brushed off as harmless.
But whooping cough can be dangerous – even fatal – particularly for babies under six months old who are at risk of dehydration, pneumonia, and seizures.
Older children and adults can also end up with sore or fractured ribs, hernias, middle ear infections and urinary incontinence.
Which areas are worst affected?
The Notification of Infectious Diseases report (NOIDS), which tracks suspected infectious disease cases in England and Wales, revealed cases in both countries.
It does not specify the ages of those suspected to have the bug.
Some 77 cases were reported in the week ending December 10, 120 per cent more than the 35 cases ending November 12.
London is one of the hardest-hit areas in the UK within the last week – with 17 suspected cases.
The North West and South East come second and third, having reported 14 and 13 cases, respectively.
Doctors in Wales reported nine suspected cases, making it the fourth most affected area.
The South West and Yorkshire came in fifth, with five cases each.
The East of England and East Midlands came in sixth, both having reported four cases.
Meanwhile, the West Midlands is the least affected area, with just two cases.
Whooping cough symptoms
WHOOPING cough (pertussis) is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.
The first signs of whooping cough are similar to colds, such as a runny nose and sore throat (a high temperature is uncommon).
After about a week, you or your child:
Will get coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night
May make a “whoop” sound – a gasp for breath between coughs (young babies and some adults may not “whoop”)
May have difficulty breathing after a coughing bout and may turn blue or grey (young infants)
May bring up a thick mucus, which can make you vomit
May become very red in the face (more common in adults)
The cough may last for several weeks or months.
Source: NHS