Increasing case counts - Do doctors predict an epidemic of whooping cough?
Margrethe Greve-Isdahl, an experienced doctor and director of the childhood immunization program at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, talked to the newspaper "Dagbladet" about a significant rise in whooping cough cases. She stated, "We're experiencing a surge in whooping cough cases in Norway, after nearly four years of low occurrences. This could signify an epidemic in the country."
The institute reported 534 whooping cough cases in April, which marked a 206-case jump from March. This was the highest it had been in Norway since 2012. Fifteen infants have been impacted, with three of them requiring hospitalization.
Concerns regarding whooping cough are also present in other European nations. In Denmark, there was a "critical epidemic situation" last autumn which was lifted recently.
In England, whooping cough cases have spiked this year. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shared this information last Thursday. According to the data, 2,800 individuals had contracted the illness by the end of March in the main part of the UK alone - a 300% increase compared to the entirety of last year. The UKHSA also revealed that five babies have succumbed to the disease during the first quarter of 2024. Four newborns lost their lives in the Netherlands during February and March.
Germany has also experienced a notable increase in cases. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has so far recorded 4180 infections this year. In comparison, only 1446 cases were reported during the same time in 2023. The RKI attributes this rise to a "catch-up effect" following the COVID-19 pandemic and the ineffectiveness of available vaccines.
In Germany, the Standing Vaccination Commission recommends a three-step vaccination process for infants: The first vaccination should be administered at two months old, followed by the second dose eight weeks later, and the final vaccination at eleven months.
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Source: symclub.org
