Czech Republic whooping cough update

From the beginning of the year to December 1, officials in the Czech Republic reported a total of 36,149 cases of pertussis, or whooping cough.

In the last 4 weeks an average of 428 new cases per week were registered. For children under one year of age, we have registered 653 cases this year, and in the last 4 weeks there were an average of 9 new cases per week. The number of reported cases of whooping cough gradually declines slowly as the number of individuals in the population susceptible to infection decreases.

New cases of the disease continue to occur in all age groups; the 15-19 age group continues to report the most cases and the highest morbidity. As for hospitalizations and severe cases, a total of 2.4% of patients have required a stay in the hospital since January.

In children, this ratio is much higher, out of the total number of 653 children with pertussis under the age of 1 year, 280 were hospitalized, nearly 43%.

12 total deaths have been recorded this year.