Whooping cough epidemic claims 5 children's lives, face masks urged

At least five children have died in England and Wales this year due to whooping cough. The "Daily Mail" reports that, amid a nationwide disease epidemic, primary care physicians are urging patients to wear masks during visits.

This year, whooping cough, an acute infectious respiratory disease characterized by severe, paroxysmal coughing, has claimed the lives of five children in England and Wales. This disease is hazardous for infants and individuals with weakened immune systems.

Nearly 3,000 cases have been confirmed so far, and officials are encouraging eligible patients, such as pregnant women, to get vaccinated, according to "Daily Mail UK".

In numerous doctor's offices, patients are asked to wear masks during their visits. Some clinics also advise patients to wait outside until they are called in.

Local clinics decide whether to require masks based on infection rates in their area. For example, a hospital in Uxbridge, Middlesex, has instructed patients to wear masks during face-to-face visits.

West Hampstead Medical Center in north-west London has emailed all its patients, warning them of the rise in measles and whooping cough cases. British newspaper The Telegraph reports that parents should inform reception of their arrival and wait outside until they are called.

According to "Daily Mail", these precautions align with the latest infection control guidelines from NHS England, issued at the start of the year following a measles outbreak and an increase in whooping cough cases.

The British Health Security Agency has confirmed that five children – all under the age of three months, died from the infection in the early months of the year.

The "Daily Mail" states that this is the highest number of deaths linked to whooping cough in ten years. There is a concern that the figure could rise, as the number of cases might reach a 40-year high.

Experts suggest that the significant increase in cases could be due to a decline in vaccination rates and a stagnation of disease circulation during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as reported by "Daily Mail".

The National Health Service (NHS) recommends that all pregnant women get vaccinated against whooping cough between the 16th and 32nd weeks of pregnancy. This is to protect their newborns in the first few months of life before they are eligible for vaccination.