The rise in whooping cough in the Czech Republic continues
In a follow-up on the pertussis outbreak in the Czech Republic, officials with the State Institute of Health report the whooping cough outbreak now stands at 6,397 total cases through April 7.
The number of children under the age of one infected has risen to 101.
Most cases of pertussis in 2024 are reported by the following regions: South Bohemia (1,059) and Central Bohemia (937), followed by Vysočina (723) and the city of Prague (666).
About 73 percent of the cases were vaccinated.
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Kateřina Fabiánová, deputy head of the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, answered questions about the spread of whooping cough in the Czech Republic. Among other things, she pointed out that it is very important to protect newborns who could not yet be vaccinated against infection. It is the smallest children who are at risk of severe infection and death. The best way to protect them is by revaccinating pregnant women and all family members. Nor can the spread of whooping cough be expected to help stop the arrival of warm weather. Many other countries also have a problem with whooping cough. Listen to the full interview (in Czech):