Gyeonggi-do Reports Surge in Pertussis Patients... Surpasses Total Cases of Past 10 Years Recently

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

'Whooping cough' cases are rapidly increasing in Gyeonggi Province.

As of the 18th of this month, Gyeonggi Province reported a total of 576 whooping cough patients, exceeding the total of 401 cases over the past 10 years, urging caution such as vaccination and wearing masks.

By region, the number of whooping cough patients is highest in Gwangju City (122), Namyangju City (83), Goyang City (73), Paju City (69), and Ansan City (55). By age group, cases mainly occur among elementary, middle, and high school students, with 282 cases in the 10-14 age group and 206 cases in the 15-19 age group.

Whooping cough is designated and managed as a Class 2 nationally notifiable infectious disease subject to national vaccination. It is a respiratory infectious disease caused by the Bordetella bacteria, characterized by paroxysmal severe coughing.

The name "whooping cough" originates from the symptom lasting about 100 days. Vomiting or apnea may occur at the end of coughing, and the droplets expelled when the patient coughs or sneezes can transmit the disease to others. In groups without immunity, one infected person can spread it to 12-17 others, indicating strong transmissibility.

The disease can infect people of all ages and can spread rapidly, especially through family transmission. Adults or children and adolescents who have been vaccinated tend to have relatively mild symptoms even if infected. Infants under 12 months old are at higher risk of severe complications, and most whooping cough-related deaths occur in infants under 3-4 months old. Infants confirmed with whooping cough usually contract it through close contact with family members such as parents, grandparents, or siblings, making prevention within families important.

Yu Young-cheol, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Health and Wellness Bureau, stated, "Whooping cough is currently spreading rapidly mainly among elementary, middle, and high schools," and urged, "If symptoms such as coughing appear, please visit a medical institution promptly for diagnosis and treatment."