Huge spike in cases of whooping cough across Scotland

Whooping cough is spreading at an alarming rate across Scotland with more than 5000 cases recorded this year so far.

The Daily Record reports that three years ago, only four cases were recorded for the entire year. This alarming rise in pertussis – the clinical name for the disease – has been blamed on reduced immunisations across the UK and Europe.

Monday, July 15, a Public Health Scotland spokeswoman said: “As pertussis continues to circulate in Scotland, immunisation of pregnant women and young children is vital.”

Cases of whooping cough have been increasing in Scotland since late last year. There have been 5,026 laboratory-confirmed cases from the start of 2024 up until July 8 – more than the three most recent years combined.

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It is reported that usually there is a spike in cases every three to five years but this rise in cases is seen as exceptionally large.

Last year, there were only 73 cases but 56 of them were in the last quarter as the outbreak began to take hold. By ­comparison, in 2021 there were only four cases in the entire year and three cases in 2022.

Whooping cough is an acute bacterial disease of the ­respiratory tract, after an ­infection.

It can affect people of all ages but unimmunised infants are more likely to develop ­complications which can require hospital treatment and, in severe cases, can be fatal.

In 2012, NHS Scotland ­introduced vaccinations for pregnant women at 16-32 weeks to give protection to babies before they are old enough to start their routine immunisations.

Antibodies which protect against disease, produced by the vaccinated mother, can be
transferred across the placenta.

Expectant mothers should receive the vaccination in every pregnancy.

In adults and adolescents, the illness is often less severe however, they may suffer a prolonged cough.

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