Whooping cough (pertussis) cases in South Africa continue to rise dramatically, with cases doubling in just a few weeks, and officials warning that a dozen deaths have occurred in this vaccine-preventable illness.
In December, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported 408 cases countrywide, with 230 of them in the Western Cape.
Speaking to Health-e News, Professor Cheryl Cohen, head of the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis at the NICD, said reported cases now stand at 818, but could be higher. “These numbers are a minimum estimate, as many pertussis cases don’t get a specific test and are not diagnosed,” she said.
‘Young infants are at highest risk’
From July 2022 to date, there had been 14 deaths, 12 of which were children under five, with most cases being in infants too young to be vaccinated despite it being a vaccine-preventable death, said Maret Lesch, Western Cape Department of Health spokesperson.
“Babies are at highest risk for severe pertussis disease, as they are too young to be immunised with the first dose at six-weeks-old. But to protect them, it is important that particularly family and close contacts of pregnant women and small infants have these routine immunisations up to date,” she said.
“Pertussis can affect anyone who does not have immunity to the bacterium (Bordetella pertussis) that causes the infection when they come into contact with someone who has it. However, some people, for example infants and young children who are not vaccinated or who are partially vaccinated, are at high risk for infection and severe disease,” said Cohen.
People with a weakened immune system and those with chronic underlying medical conditions, especially chronic lung diseases, were also at risk of having severe pertussis. Very young children are likely to develop complications and die.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Seven babies die in Western Cape as whooping cough cases rise
Whooping cough rears its head after COVID hiatus, mainly in WCape children
Pertussis resurgence: Incomplete coverage and vaccination ‘hesitancy’