Five babies in England have died after developing whooping cough in the first three months of 2024, prompting urgent calls for pregnant women and parents to ensure they are vaccinated against the disease.
Data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Thursday show that cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, continue to rise, with 1,319 confirmed in March alone. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the first quarter of 2024 to 2,793, although the true figure is likely to be far higher as mild cases are often mistaken for other respiratory infections.
Just over half of cases (51%) were in people aged 15 and over, who typically experience a mild but unpleasant illness. However, rates remain highest in babies under three months old, who may not cough at all but instead turn blue or struggle to breathe. They are at the greatest risk of severe complications or death.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: "What we are currently seeing is very high case numbers, certainly higher than the 2016 peak and very much in line – and potentially even higher – than what we saw during our 2012 peak year, particularly in very young babies." She added that whooping cough waves occur every three to four years and can last for several months, "so it's not going to be entirely unexpected if cases continue to rise".
The outbreak has been attributed to falling uptake of the maternal whooping cough vaccine, which dropped to an average of 59% in late 2023, with rates as low as 30% in north-east London. Low exposure to the bacterium during the Covid pandemic has also left more people susceptible to infection. Dr Elizabeth Whittaker from Imperial College London noted that some children also missed routine vaccinations during Covid.
Vaccination remains the best defence. In the UK, babies receive the six-in-one jab at eight, 12 and 16 weeks, followed by a pre-school booster. The maternal vaccine, offered since 2012, provides 92% protection against infant death. The last major outbreak in 2012 saw 9,367 confirmed cases and 14 deaths, all in babies too young to be fully vaccinated.
