A recent tragic event has brought attention to the dangers of whooping cough, a highly infectious disease that affects the lungs and airways.
A baby in the UK has died from whooping cough, marking the first such death in the country this year. The infant’s mother had not been vaccinated against the disease, highlighting the importance of vaccination in preventing such tragedies.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a serious bacterial infection that can be fatal for babies, who are at the highest risk of severe illness or death.
The child, thought to be under the age of one, died between March and June this year, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
This death follows the death of a child from measles at Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool last month and the deaths last year of 11 children in England after an outbreak of whooping cough.
The UKHSA has warned that vaccination rates for primary schoolchildren are at their lowest levels in 15 years.
Almost one in five children starting primary school in England are not fully protected from diseases including whooping cough, polio, tetanus, and diphtheria.
This puts the UK well below the World Health Organization’s 95% threshold for herd immunity for all childhood vaccines.
Specifically, only 83.7% of five-year-olds have received both doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, while uptake of the four-in-one preschool booster vaccine stood at 81.4% among five-year-olds in England.
Dr. Gayatri Amirthalingam, the UKHSA deputy director, emphasized the importance of vaccination in preventing whooping cough.
“Sadly, with a further infant death in the second quarter of 2025, we are again reminded how severe whooping cough can be for very young babies. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family who have so tragically lost their baby.”
Despite the decline in vaccination rates, there has been a recent increase in uptake of the whooping cough vaccine among pregnant women.
The vaccine is offered to pregnant women between 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, and passes protection to their baby in the womb.
According to the UKHSA, vaccination rates among mothers recovered to 73% after falling to 59% in March last year. However, this rate is still below the peak of 76% in 2016.
Amirthalingam stressed the importance of vaccination for pregnant women. “Ensuring women are vaccinated in pregnancy has never been more important.
Vaccination is the best defence against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young infants receive their vaccines at the right time, ideally between 20 and 32 weeks.”
The UKHSA is urging expectant mothers to get vaccinated against whooping cough to protect their newborns. “The recent increase in uptake of the whooping cough vaccine among pregnant women across the country shows that even more mothers are taking steps to protect their newborns,” Amirthalingam said.
“We want to ensure every expectant mother is offered the vaccine at the optimal time and understands that this vaccine is the best way to protect their baby during those crucial first weeks after birth.”
As the situation continues to unfold, it is essential for parents and caregivers to prioritize vaccination to protect their children from this potentially deadly disease.