A Victorian-era illness, also known as the 100 day cough is seeing cases surge to pre-pandemic levels, with cases doubling in a month. Whooping cough, as it’s formally known, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.
The infection is more commonly seen in children, with doctors closely monitoring the national figures which show an uptick in the amount of people contracting the highly contagious bug.
The latest data suggests that whooping cough is on the rise in both England and Wales – with vaccine rates dropping to their lowest level in seven years. Those who come down with it start off by spasmodic coughing episodes, often culminating in a distinctive “whoop” or a breath-catching gasp.
The infection itself can make it difficult for children or infants to breathe, according to the NHS, due to the prolonged coughing episodes which can see youngsters bring up thick mucus.
But it can be hard to distinguish, especially as older children and adults may not make a “whooping” sound, despite contracting the illness.
According to data from UKHSA, it is believed a total of 77 individuals contracted the infection during the week starting December 3, surpassing the 35 cases reported in the week concluding on November 13.
The regions most significantly impacted include London (17 cases), the North West (14), and the South East (13).
Other hotspots include Wales where doctors reported nine suspected cases, making it the fourth most affected area. The South West and Yorkshire came in fifth, with five cases each.
Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia meanwhile said doctors were seeing a “return to pre-pandemic levels” of the illness.
He said: “Back in the 1980s, we were seeing tens of thousands of notifications each year. But by the 2000s, notifications were only in the hundreds because people were getting vaccinated – this was until Covid arrived on the scene.”
Those with infants under six months who are showing these symptoms are urged to book an urgent GP appointment, along with women who are pregnant. People should call 999 if their child turns blue, struggles to breathe or suffers a seizure.
