Whooping cough cases up again as five babies die

Key Facts

• Half of cases seen so far this year have been in the under-15s, with the highest rates in babies under three months of age.
• UKHSA has said a steady decline in uptake of the vaccine in pregnant women and children and the very low numbers seen during the pandemic, as happened with other infections because of restrictions and public behaviour, were both factors.
• The first signs of whooping cough are similar to a cold, with a runny nose and sore throat.
• The bacteria spread through coughs and sneezes, so experts advise members of a family in which it has been diagnosed to stay at home until three weeks after the symptoms began, or 48 hours after the patient started taking antibiotics.

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