Infant Under 2 Months Dies from Pertussis, First Domestic Case
Nationwide Outbreak Mainly Among Children and Adolescents
Strong Recommendation for Vaccination of Pregnant Women and Infant Caregivers
Whooping cough is spreading nationwide, mainly among children and adolescents, and the first death has occurred in South Korea.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 12th that an infant under 2 months old, who was confirmed positive for whooping cough on the 31st of last month and had been receiving inpatient treatment, died on the 4th of this month due to worsening symptoms. This infant had not yet received the first whooping cough vaccination after birth and initially visited a medical institution with symptoms such as coughing and phlegm.
Whooping cough, characterized by paroxysmal coughing, has recently been spreading nationwide, mainly among children and adolescents aged 7 to 19, with a total of 30,332 cases (including suspected cases) reported up to the first week of November.
By age group, those aged 13 to 19 account for 45.7% (13,866 cases) of the total patients, and those aged 7 to 12 account for 42.0% (12,725 cases), meaning children and adolescents aged 7 to 19 make up 87.7% (26,591 cases) of all cases. Patients aged 0 to 6 account for only 3.3% (1,008 cases) of the total but have been increasing since August. Infant patients under 1 year old were reported at 2 to 4 cases per week in early October, rising to 12 cases by the end of October.
With the occurrence of a death caused by whooping cough, the KDCA urged pregnant women, cohabiting family members (parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.), caregivers, healthcare workers, and postpartum care center staff to receive the whooping cough vaccine to protect high-risk groups, especially infants under 1 year old who are at high risk of developing severe symptoms upon infection.
In particular, vaccination of pregnant women in the third trimester (27?36 weeks) is essential so that infants can be born with immunity to whooping cough before their first vaccination at 2 months. Infants under 12 months must receive timely vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months without fail. Considering the significant spread of whooping cough among children and adolescents, the KDCA is also actively encouraging the 6th dose vaccination for 11- to 12-year-olds, whose timely vaccination rates are relatively low.
Deaths due to whooping cough have also been reported worldwide amid outbreaks. In the UK, as of September this year, 13,952 whooping cough cases have been reported, with 10 infant deaths recorded by early this month. In France, over 130,000 whooping cough cases occurred this year, with 22 of the 35 deaths being children (20 under 1 year old). In the United States, 22,273 cases have been reported this year, a 4.6-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
The government is closely monitoring the increasing whooping cough cases among children aged 0 to 6 and has decided to operate and respond through a joint task force involving related ministries and experts to prepare for the winter respiratory infectious disease season.
Ji Young-mi, director of the KDCA, stated, "With the first whooping cough death occurring in our country, special caution is needed for high-risk groups." She urged, "To prepare for the upcoming winter respiratory infectious disease spread, households should practice handwashing, observe cough etiquette, and wear masks when experiencing respiratory symptoms to prevent various respiratory infectious diseases, including whooping cough, and to protect children safely."
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