There have been dozens of new cases of potentially deadly whooping cough reported by doctors in Bristol. Within Bristol city there were 90 cases of the so-called 100-day cough identified in the two weeks ending May 12 with a further 17 cases in South Gloucestershire over the same period.
Whooping cough infections are rocketing in the UK and there have already been five confirmed infant deaths and 2,793 confirmed cases in the first three months of this year. The disease is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes and its rise is thought to be down to a fall in the number of children being vaccinated, combined with falling immunity as a result of isolation and Covid-19 lockdowns.
The disease is highly contagious and doctors are required to notify the UK Health Security Agency whenever they suspect a patient has whooping cough. The UKHSA says that it is vital that families are vaccinated against the disease.
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Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, a consultant epidemiologist for the UKHSA, said: “Vaccination remains the best defence against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young infants receive their vaccines at the right time.
"Pregnant women are offered a whooping cough vaccine in every pregnancy, ideally between 20 and 32 weeks. This passes protection to their baby in the womb so that they are protected from birth in the first months of their life when they are most vulnerable and before they can receive their own vaccines.
“All babies are given three doses of the 6-in-1 jab at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age to protect against whooping cough and other serious diseases such as diphtheria and polio with a pre-school booster offered at three years four months. Whooping cough can affect people of all ages but for very young babies it can be extremely serious. Our thoughts and condolences are with those families who have so tragically lost their baby.”
The NHS says that, if you or your child has whooping cough, the following symptoms will emerge after about a week:
- coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night
- a "whoop" sound – a gasp for breath between coughs (young babies and some adults may not "whoop")
- difficulty breathing after a coughing bout and may turn blue or grey (young infants)
- coughing up a thick mucus, which can make you vomit
- becoming very red in the face (more common in adults)
The disease can be dangerous in babies under six months old, potentially causing dehydration, breathing problems, pneumonia and seizures. The NHS advises people to ring their GP or call 111 in the following cases:
- your baby is under six months old and has symptoms of whooping cough
- you or your child have a very bad cough that is getting worse
- you've been in contact with someone with whooping cough and you're pregnant
- you or your child has been in contact with someone with whooping cough and have a weakened immune system
Call 999 or got to A&E if:
- your or your child's lips, tongue, face or skin suddenly turn blue or grey (on black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet)
- you or your child are finding it hard to breathe properly (shallow breathing)
- you or your child have chest pain that's worse when breathing or coughing – this could be a sign of pneumonia
- your child is having seizures (fits)
The NHS website has further information about whooping cough, the whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy and treatment for whooping cough.
