More cases of whooping cough - Minister recommends vaccination

In Saxony, more people are becoming infected with whooping cough again after a significant decline in the years of the coronavirus pandemic. Up until last week, 278 cases of whooping cough had occurred in the state, compared to 61 cases at the same time last year, as the Ministry of Health announced on request. However, the current number of cases is not unusual compared to the pre-pandemic years and was to be expected. For example, in 2019, the year before the coronavirus pandemic, there were 805 cases.

Children also make up a large proportion of those infected this year. Slightly more than half of all cases (52.8 percent) were in the 1 to 15 age group. This is roughly comparable to the years before coronavirus (2019: 53.7%). The age group of infants (under one year old) is also currently at the pre-pandemic level with a share of 1.8% of all cases (2019: 1.9%).

However, according to the ministry, it is striking that many schoolchildren and young adults are falling ill this year and fewer of the otherwise significantly more affected infants. In addition to the expected post-pandemic catch-up effect, vaccination gaps may have contributed to the increase in cases. Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) pointed out that there is a good and safe vaccination against whooping cough. "Infants and older people in particular are at risk of suffering a severe course of the disease. It is therefore particularly important that their contacts are vaccinated."

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that is transmitted via droplet infection. In unvaccinated people, it progresses in three stages: in the first one to two weeks, cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose and mild cough as well as mild or no fever occur. In the second stage, which lasts four to six weeks, the typical spasmodic coughing fits occur, which can be accompanied by choking and - especially in small children - vomiting. Fever is also rare in this phase. In the third stage, the disease slowly subsides. However, the irritating cough can persist for months.

In adolescents and adults, as well as in most vaccinated children, the disease often only takes the form of a prolonged cough. However, the disease is dangerous for infants. Complications, most commonly pneumonia, can also occur in people with underlying illnesses and the elderly.