Five newborn babies die in spiralling whooping cough outbreak

• UKHSA officials confirmed there 2,793 cases reported as of the end of March
• READ MORE: A mum who lost her child to whooping cough urges action 

Five babies have died of whooping cough this year amid a nationwide surge in cases, alarmed health chiefs have revealed.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses have received more than 2,700 lab-confirmed reports of cases in England this year alone.

It marks a 48-fold rise on the 58 logged over the same period in 2023 and stands three times the amount recorded in the whole of last year.

For comparison, there were 858 cases recorded in total in 2023.

Experts blame the resurgence on a slump in vaccine uptake among kids and mothers-to-be, as well as a post-Covid resurgence caused by less immunity due to pandemic social distancing.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses received 1,319 lab-confirmed reports of cases in England in March alone. It marks a 44-fold rise on the 30 logged over the same month in 2023 and comes after MailOnline earlier this year revealed that cases of the ‘100 day cough’ were at a decade high

Over half (50.8 per cent) were among those aged 15 and older, with more than a quarter (28.6 per cent) in children aged 10 to 14. But the rates of whooping cough remained highest in babies under three months, UKHSA noted, with 108 cases

Riley Hughes  (pictured with his mum Catherine) was otherwise healthy when he died from whooping cough aged just 32 days in 2015

Health officials confirmed today all five deaths were among babies under three months.

They warned the infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, with the first signs typically being a runny nose and sore throat.

But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts which last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughs.

Other signs of pertussis, as it is medically known, include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face.

UKHSA surveillance figures show there were 2,793 cases overall reported this year to the end of March.

A mother whose child died from whooping cough at just 32 days old urges action

Riley Hughes was an otherwise healthy baby when he died from ­whooping cough aged just 32 days in 2015.

At three weeks old, he’d ­developed a mild cold and ­occasional cough. A doctor ­reassured his parents, Catherine and Greg, he was fine.

But Riley was sleepy and not waking for feeds, so they took him to hospital.

He was admitted and diagnosed with pertussis. His condition quickly deteriorated and he was put on life support.

Ms Hughes, from Perth Australia, told MailOnline: ‘Riley was screaming and screaming. He would have been in a lot of pain from the needles and ­cannulas they were ­administering.

‘That’s how my baby will last remember the world.’

She said: ‘Riley was placed in my arms — I was shocked at how burning hot and swollen his tiny body was.

‘The tubes were removed, and we cuddled, cried, kissed him, and sang to him a lullaby as the life slowly drained out of him.

‘If I had been offered a ­whooping cough booster during pregnancy, there is a good chance Riley would still be with us today.’

But when Ms Hughes was ­pregnant, it was before Australia offered the maternal pertussis vaccine.

Days after Riley’s death the vaccine programme began, resulting in a significant ­reduction in babies hospitalised with ­pertussis.

Ms Hughes, who now campaigns to encourage women to be vaccinated said: ‘It’s bittersweet — I’m overjoyed that we have these ­fantastic ­pregnancy vaccination programmes, but really sad they weren’t implemented in time for Riley.’

Of these, there were 556 cases provisionally recorded in January, 918 in February and 1,319 in March.

Over half (50.8 per cent) were among those aged 15 and older, with more than a quarter (28.6 per cent) in children aged 10 to 14.

But the rates of whooping cough remained highest in babies under three months, UKHSA noted, with 108 cases.

The 6-in-1 vaccine, given to babies at eight, 12 and 16 weeks, and the 4-in-1 pre-school booster, administered to children aged three years and four months, is vital for protecting against catching whooping cough.

Pregnant women are being urged to get the vaccine to protect their baby from catching the infection in the first few weeks of their life.

Protection should last until they are old enough to get vaccinated themselves.

Parents have also been told to check their kids have had both jabs.

Without the jabs, experts warn people risk becoming seriously ill from the infection and passing it on to others.

However, uptake of the 6-in-1 vaccine (92.6 per cent) and 4-in-1 jab (83.3 per cent) both slumped to all-time lows in 2023, according to NHS England data.

Meanwhile, just 61.5 per cent of expectant mothers had the whooping cough jab in 2022 — the smallest number in seven years.

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, the UKHSA’s consultant epidemiologist, said: ‘Whooping cough can affect people of all ages but for very young babies it can be extremely serious.

‘Our thoughts and condolences are with those families who have so tragically lost their baby.’

She added: ‘Vaccination remains the best defence against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young infants receive their vaccines at the right time.

‘Pregnant women are offered a whooping cough vaccine in every pregnancy, ideally between 20 and 32 weeks.

‘This passes protection to their baby in the womb so that they are protected from birth in the first months of their life when they are most vulnerable and before they can receive their own vaccines.’

Meanwhile, NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: ‘With cases of whooping cough continuing to rise sharply across the country, and today’s figures sadly showing five infant deaths, it is vital that families come forward to get the protection they need.

‘If you are pregnant and have not been vaccinated yet, or your child is not up-to-date with whooping cough or other routine vaccinations, please contact your GP as soon as possible.

‘If you or your child show symptoms ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.’

Whooping cough is caused by the pertussis bacteria and is spread by coughing and sneezing.

Doctors dish out antibiotics as treatment if the whooping cough is detected within three weeks.

Health officials warned that the infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, as the first signs are a runny nose and sore throat. But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts that last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughs. Other signs of whooping cough include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face

Pregnant women are being urged to get the vaccine to protect their baby from catching the infection in the first few weeks of their life. Protection should last until they are old enough to get vaccinated themselves

However, if a person has been infected for longer, antibiotics will not speed up their recovery.

Pre-pandemic, between 2,500 and 4,500 suspected cases were logged each year. This fell to around 500 during the coronavirus crisis as social distancing curbed the spread of most bugs.

But cases hit 1,728 in 2023 because of the post-pandemic rebound, in a trend that experts say is down to lower societal immunity as a result of the Covid era.

Similar trends were seen for bugs like flu and RSV.

However, rates are still nowhere near the annual high of 170,000 logged in the 1940s.

Routine vaccination against whooping cough in the 1950s dramatically slashed levels.

Health officials also acknowledged cases of whooping cough rise cyclically every few years. The last peak year — 2016 — logged 5,949 cases.

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is caused by the pertussis bacteria and is spread by coughing and sneezing.

The infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, as the first signs are a runny nose and sore throat.

But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts that last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughs.

Other signs of whooping cough include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face.

Sufferers are infectious from around six days after cold-like symptoms develop to three weeks after their cough starts.

Doctors dish out antibiotics as treatment if the whooping cough is detected within three weeks. However, if a person has been infected for longer, antibiotics will not speed up their recovery.

The infection can be fatal, with up to 3 per cent of newborns dying from it, according to Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia.

Additionally, most babies under six months with whooping cough are hospitalised with complications, such as dehydration, breathing difficulties and pneumonia.

It is less severe in older children and adults but can still cause sore ribs, a hernias, ear infections and urinary incontinence among these groups.

The 6-in-1 vaccine, given to babies at eight, 12 and 16 weeks, and the 4-in-1 pre-school booster, administered to children aged three years and four months, is vital for protecting against catching whooping cough.

Pregnant women are also encouraged to get the vaccine to protect their baby from catching the infection in the first few weeks of their life.

Read more