Physicians discover widespread illness outbreak. - Steep rise in instances of whooping cough observed
"This is the most significant spike in infection rates recorded between January and the beginning of March since the implementation of mandatory reporting in 2013," a spokesperson noted. From 2016 to 2019, the number of cases in Baden-Württemberg during this time frame ranged from 700 to 1,200. However, in 2023, there were just 29 infections documented.
In teenagers and adults, as well as many vaccinated children, whooping cough can manifest as a lingering cough. Despite this, it poses a life-threatening danger to infants. They are unable to clear the mucus buildup from their lungs, which can result in respiratory problems and potentially death.
The health department has recorded 122 cases in infants under one year old and 251 cases in those aged one to four. A Reutlingen-based pediatrician, Till Reckert, advises pregnant women to receive vaccinations to provide their babies with a certain level of 'nest protection' prior to their own vaccinations.
Approximately two-thirds of infected babies require hospitalization. While the vaccination can help reduce the severity of symptoms in some cases, whooping cough isn't completely eradicable in vaccinated individuals. Therefore, those who have been vaccinated should avoid close contact with potentially or clearly infected people, particularly infants.
The LGA has documented 370 cases of pertussis in children aged five to nine and 1,209 cases in the 10 to 19 age group. The disease's incidence is highest in infants, with a staggering 108.2 cases per 1,000. The LGA reports that every 1,000 infants in Baden-Württemberg below the age of one has been confirmed with whooping cough this year. No fatalities have been reported yet. In the past, there were some isolated cases, as per Brockmann.
Although the incidence is lower in adults, around 60% of all cases currently occur in individuals over the age of 18 after disregarding calls for booster vaccinations, according to the Robert Koch Institute for Health Protection.
The pathogen is transmitted through intimate contact with an infected person within a distance of up to one meter, typically through coughing, sneezing, or speaking.
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Source: symclub.org
