"There has been a massive surge in the number of cases of whooping cough in the UK and Europe, which has the potential to place our community here in Worcester at risk of harm and ill-health. 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported 2,793 cases up to the end of March.

Half of cases seen so far this year have been in children under the age of 15 years with the highest rates in babies under six months of age, who are the most vulnerable group for infection.

So far this year five babies under three months of age have died from whooping cough, which are the first reported deaths in the UK since 2019. 

Whooping cough is sometimes called the "100-day cough" because of how long it can take to recover from.

It is caused by a bacteria called Bordetella Pertusis, which is highly contagious and is spread by the droplets in coughs and sneezes.

The first symptoms are similar to that of a cold and may include a runny nose, red and watery eyes, a sore throat and a fever that lasts for a week.

Whooping cough affects the lungs and airways causing intense bouts of coughing mainly at night. Between coughs, children may gasp for breath, causing a "whoop" sound.

Complications of whooping cough include pneumonia, dehydration and seizures.

If whooping cough is diagnosed within three weeks of the infection, antibiotics can help stop it spreading to others but may not reduce symptoms.

If you've had whooping cough for more than three weeks, you're no longer contagious and do not need antibiotics.

Hospital treatment is usually needed if you have severe whooping cough, or your baby is under six months old and has whooping cough.

Whooping cough is a "cyclical disease", meaning it peaks every three to five years, with the last big increase in 2016.

However, the main reason why cases are rising is due to low uptake of the Pertussis vaccine amongst pregnant women.

Uptake of the maternal pertussis vaccine, offered to women in every pregnancy, has dropped from more than 70% in September 2017 to about 58% in September 2023.

Getting vaccinated while pregnant provides some protection to babies in the first months of life by bridging the immunity gap from when babies are born until they themselves can be vaccinated.

Children who have not been vaccinated can still get the jab up to the age of 10 years.

Vaccination does not provide lifelong immunity against the disease, but subsequent infections tend to be mild.

Data for 2022-23 shows 91.8% of children had had their whooping cough vaccines by their first birthday and this figure needs to be much higher to reduce the risk of transmission.

I would urge all pregnant women to get the Pertussis vaccine. If you’re worried about whooping cough then I would urge you to contact your GP for advice.”