- विज्ञापन -
London: Nine infants have died since the beginning of an outbreak of whooping cough in November last year, according to figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
In the first five months of 2024, 7,599 children and adults have been infected by the disease, which affects the lungs and breathing tubes and spreads easily, showed the figures released on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Young babies are at highest risk of severe complications and death from whooping cough,” the UKHSA said in its alert. Over half of those infected are people aged 15 or older and suffer a mild illness, the agency said, adding that high numbers continue to be reported in babies under three months of age who are at greatest risk from the infection.
Medics have urged pregnant women and babies to get whooping cough vaccinations. The UKHSA said the latest uptake data for vaccinations offered to pregnant women to protect newborn infants against whooping cough has fallen below 60 per cent.
Timely vaccination in pregnancy and childhood is important to protect vulnerable young infants from serious disease, according to the UKHSA.
