Five infants die in terrifying '100 day cough' outbreak with cases in 2024 ... trends now
Five babies have died of whooping cough this year amid a nationwide surge in cases, alarmed health chiefs have revealed.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses received 1,319 lab-confirmed reports of cases in England in March alone.
It marks a 44-fold rise on the 30 logged over the same month in 2023 and comes after MailOnline earlier this year revealed that cases of the '100 day cough' were at a decade high.
For comparison, there were 858 cases recorded in total last year.
Experts blame the resurgence on a slump in vaccine uptake among kids and mothers-to-be, as well as a post-Covid resurgence caused by less immunity due to pandemic social distancing.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses received 1,319 lab-confirmed reports of cases in England in March alone. It marks a 44-fold rise on the 30 logged over the same month in 2023 and comes after MailOnline earlier this year revealed that cases of the '100 day cough' were at a decade high
Health officials warned that the infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, as the first signs are a runny nose and sore throat. But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts that last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a 'whoop' sound between coughs. Other signs of whooping cough include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face
Health officials warned the infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, with the first signs typically being a runny nose and sore throat.
But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts which last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a 'whoop' sound between coughs.
Other signs of pertussis, as it is medically known, include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face.
UKHSA surveillance figures show there were 2,793 cases overall reported this year to the end of March.
