The number of newborn babies becoming seriously ill from whooping cough is increasing rapidly. There are many seriously ill people, especially in areas with a low vaccination rate, such as the Bible Belt. The RIVM calls the outbreak worrying. ‘If you are coughing or sniffling, stay away from heavily pregnant women and newborn babies.’
The number of reports of whooping cough has been increasing since June. Every week, about 110 children, of which about 20 are babies, contract the disease. The RIVM thinks that the figures are on the low side because not everyone is tested. In total, there are about 250 reports of whooping cough every week. For comparison: in 2019 there were 120 per week, in 2018 91.
“We probably all have reduced immunity against whooping cough, because we came into less contact with it due to all the corona measures,” explains Tjalling Leenstra, head of national coordination of infectious disease control at the RIVM.
Whooping cough is caused by a bacterium that is very contagious. The disease often starts as a cold, but eventually leads to severe coughing fits and shortness of breath.
Newborn babies in particular can become seriously ill. Of the known cases, more than half end up in hospital, and ‘very occasionally’ a baby even dies. They become seriously exhausted from all the coughing, which causes them to stop drinking. “It can also happen that your breath stops for a moment. That can be very scary for parents,” says Leenstra. The babies may turn blue or suffer brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.
Vaccinations caused the number of seriously ill children to decline for a long time
The number of seriously ill children due to whooping cough has decreased rapidly in recent decades due to the introduction of vaccinations. Babies receive their first injection when they are two months old. Nowadays, more seriously ill children can be seen in regions where the vaccination rate is low, including the Bible Belt.
The rapid increase in the number of sick people is worrying the RIVM. That is why the institute calls on people who cough or sniffle to stay away from heavily pregnant women and babies. Young parents are also advised to vaccinate their children and pregnant women can also have a whooping cough vaccination themselves. If women are vaccinated at 22 weeks, babies are also protected in the first weeks after birth. About two out of three expectant mothers do that.
Leenstra: “It is also wise for families with an unprotected newborn baby to consult with a doctor if one of the family members has a severe cough. They may be able to test for whooping cough and treat the bacteria.”
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