Since the Beginning of the Year, 1,365 Cases Reported as of the 1st
87.1% of Patients Are Children and Adolescents Aged 7-19 Attending School
The number of pertussis patients experiencing paroxysmal coughing has surged 105 times compared to the same period last year. Adults suffer from severe coughing lasting for a long time, but infants have a high mortality rate, making 'timely vaccination' necessary.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 8th, 1,365 pertussis cases (including suspected cases) have been reported as of the 1st of this year, showing a sharp increase that surpasses the annual number of cases in the recent outbreak year of 2018 (980 cases). This is 6.7 times higher than the same period in 2018 (203 cases) and 105 times higher than the same period last year (13 cases).
Children and parents are waiting for medical treatment at a pediatric and adolescent clinic in Seoul last February. (This photo is not directly related to the article.) [Photo by Yonhap News]
Pertussis is an acute respiratory disease caused by infection with the Bordetella pertussis bacterium. Symptoms such as runny nose, tearing, and coughing appear for 1 to 2 weeks, followed by paroxysmal coughing. The disease is called 'Baekilhae' (pertussis) because the coughing can last for nearly 100 days.
By age group, 13-19 years old accounted for 49.6% (677 cases), and 7-12 years old accounted for 37.5% (512 cases), with children and adolescents aged 7-19 making up 87.1% (1,189 cases) of the total. By region, cluster outbreaks have been reported in educational facilities in Gyeongnam (543 cases, 39.8%), Gyeonggi (143 cases, 17.4%), Busan (109 cases, 8.0%), and Gyeongbuk (90 cases, 6.6%), among others.
South Korea has a high pertussis vaccination rate, with 97.3% for 1-year-olds and 96.8% for elementary school entrants. Cases of infection in high-risk groups such as infants under 1 year old, who can develop severe symptoms, are low at 4 cases, and no deaths have been reported in the past 10 years. However, as the number of patients continues to rise, caution is needed as complications or fatalities may occur.
Especially this year, pertussis is spreading worldwide. In the United States, as of the 25th of last month, 4,864 cases were reported, about 2.8 times higher than the same period last year (1,746 cases). In the Philippines, as of April 27, 2,521 cases were reported with 96 deaths. In China, 91,272 people were infected with pertussis by April, a 3.4-fold increase compared to March (27,078 cases). There have been 20 deaths from pertussis in China this year.
If you have not yet been vaccinated or have not completed the basic six-dose vaccination series, it is recommended to complete the vaccination. Infants under 1 year old can receive three primary doses at 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months of age, followed by three additional doses at 15-18 months, 4-6 years, and 11-12 years, supported by the national immunization program.
The Disease Control and Prevention Agency recommends vaccination between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy for pregnant women who have never been vaccinated before. Grandparents and others caring for infants under 1 year old also need to be vaccinated against pertussis at least two weeks before contact with the child.
The government is closely monitoring the pertussis outbreak situation and is reportedly considering temporary vaccination for pregnant women and infants under 1 year old, as well as healthcare workers who may transmit pertussis, in cooperation with Gyeongnam Province, where the highest number of pertussis cases have occurred.
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