Irish Wedding News
02/05/2014
Public Health England (PHE) has said that since an outbreak in 2012, cases of the illness have halved – but the infection is still circulating.
The number of cases among young babies has seen the greatest fall, with 407 cases in 2012, to just 85 in 2013, the agency reported. Fourteen babies died with whooping cough in 2012, and three in 2013, it added.
The whooping cough jab is offered to all pregnant women to protect their baby from the disease in early life.
In October 2012, the UK's Department of Health commenced a temporary vaccination programme for pregnant women in response to a whooping cough outbreak, and latest figures reveal that around 60% of expectant mothers have received the injection.
PHE's Head of Immunisation, Dr Mary Ramsay, said: "The continued reduction in cases of whooping cough in young infants is welcome news, but unfortunately we still confirmed the infection in 3 babies who died in 2013.
"The babies were too young to have been vaccinated themselves and none of their mothers had been vaccinated in pregnancy. The increase in vaccine uptake over the last 6 months is very encouraging but we need to ensure we vaccinate as many pregnant women as possible to avoid further tragic deaths.
"Although we have also seen a decline in cases in older children and adults between 2012 and 2013, the numbers still remain considerably higher than in 2011 suggesting that the infection is still circulating.
"While the infection remains at such high levels we are urging pregnant women to ensure they are vaccinated between 28 and 38 weeks of pregnancy. We are also working with GPs, midwives and other health professionals to ensure they have the facts at hand to help women make the decision to vaccinate."
She added that parents should also be alert to the signs and symptoms of whooping cough. This includes severe coughing fits which may be accompanied by difficulty breathing, or pauses in breathing in young infants; vomiting after coughing, and the characteristic "whoop" sound in young children. This can develop into a prolonged cough in older children or adults.
(JP)
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Pregnant Women Urged To Get Whooping Cough Jab
Pregnant women are being encouraged to take the whooping cough vaccine, it has emerged.Public Health England (PHE) has said that since an outbreak in 2012, cases of the illness have halved – but the infection is still circulating.
The number of cases among young babies has seen the greatest fall, with 407 cases in 2012, to just 85 in 2013, the agency reported. Fourteen babies died with whooping cough in 2012, and three in 2013, it added.
The whooping cough jab is offered to all pregnant women to protect their baby from the disease in early life.
In October 2012, the UK's Department of Health commenced a temporary vaccination programme for pregnant women in response to a whooping cough outbreak, and latest figures reveal that around 60% of expectant mothers have received the injection.
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PHE's Head of Immunisation, Dr Mary Ramsay, said: "The continued reduction in cases of whooping cough in young infants is welcome news, but unfortunately we still confirmed the infection in 3 babies who died in 2013.
"The babies were too young to have been vaccinated themselves and none of their mothers had been vaccinated in pregnancy. The increase in vaccine uptake over the last 6 months is very encouraging but we need to ensure we vaccinate as many pregnant women as possible to avoid further tragic deaths.
"Although we have also seen a decline in cases in older children and adults between 2012 and 2013, the numbers still remain considerably higher than in 2011 suggesting that the infection is still circulating.
"While the infection remains at such high levels we are urging pregnant women to ensure they are vaccinated between 28 and 38 weeks of pregnancy. We are also working with GPs, midwives and other health professionals to ensure they have the facts at hand to help women make the decision to vaccinate."
She added that parents should also be alert to the signs and symptoms of whooping cough. This includes severe coughing fits which may be accompanied by difficulty breathing, or pauses in breathing in young infants; vomiting after coughing, and the characteristic "whoop" sound in young children. This can develop into a prolonged cough in older children or adults.
(JP)
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