Warning: Whooping cough cases rise 10-fold in Europe / ‘It’s essential to remember that lives are at stake’

European countries reported a sharp increase in the number of whooping cough cases in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, with 10 times more cases than in each of the previous two years, Reuters reports.

In total, nearly 60,000 cases were reported by European Union and European Economic Area countries during this period, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said on Wednesday, with 11 deaths in infants and eight among adults.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and airways and is endemic in Europe. It can be very dangerous for small babies or the elderly.

Larger outbreaks of whooping cough generally occur every 3-5 years, even in countries with high vaccination rates, ECDC said, although the slight decline in immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic may have been a factor in the increase of the epidemic.

Circulation of whooping cough was also very low during the pandemic and related travel restrictions, making the scale of the current epidemic appear larger.

“It is essential to remember that lives are at stake”

However, the numbers are still historically high. In the first three months of 2024, there have already been as many cases as in an entire average year from 2012 to 2019.

The center noted that a large portion of the population missed out on natural immunization against whooping cough because they were not exposed to it during the pandemic. Babies under six months are particularly at risk of infection.

“It is essential to remember that lives are at stake, especially the little ones. Pertussis vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective, said ECDC Director Andrea Ammon.

Most European countries generally vaccinate children against pertussis and immunize – also pregnant women to protect their babies.

The ECDC said some countries may consider booster vaccination of older children and adults, as immunity from the first dose may wane over time.

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