Vaccine call after increase in whooping cough cases
Friday April 13th, 2012
Parents have been urged to have their children vaccinated against whooping cough after 665 laboratory confirmed cases were recorded in England and Wales in the first three months of 2012, it was revealed today (April 13).
The
Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England and Wales said the number of
cases between January and March compared to total of 1,040 incidences
recorded in 2011.
The increase has been reported across all regions, with some areas reporting clusters in schools, universities and healthcare settings, and there has been a rise in the number of very young children being affected by it.
Although whooping cough in older people can be unpleasant, it does not usually lead to serious complications. However, there is a risk of severe complications and death among very young children.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at the HPA, said: “Whooping cough can spread easily to close contacts such as household members. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect people from this infection and uptake of the vaccine is very good.
“Parents should ensure their children are up to date with their vaccinations so that they are protected at the earliest opportunity. The pre-school booster is also important, not only to boost protection in that child but also to reduce the risk of them passing the infection on to vulnerable babies, as those under four months cannot be fully protected by the vaccine.”
The HPA has written to GPs to stress the importance of vaccination.
Dr Ramsay also reminded parents to ensure their children are protected against measles, after statistics showed a slight increase in cases since the beginning of the year.
So far, 251 laboratory confirmed measles cases have been reported to the agency in 2012 compared to 200 cases reported for the same period last year. The majority of cases have been in unvaccinated individuals.
Dr Ramsay continued: “As we approach the time of year when many children are travelling on school trips and family holidays, we are again urging parents to protect their children against measles by ensuring they have been immunised with two doses of MMR.
“This is particularly important given the increase in cases in children and young adults over the last few months. The continued outbreak in the Merseyside area is a clear demonstration that measles can be a very serious illness.
“Measles is a highly infectious which spreads very easily particularly in schools and universities. It's never too late to get your child immunised with two doses of the MMR vaccine. We cannot stress enough that measles is serious and in some cases it can be fatal. Delaying immunisation puts children at risk."
Tags: Child Health | Flu & Viruses | NHS | UK News
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