Whooping Cough Surge... "Vaccination and Adherence to Guidelines"

612 Cases Reported in Gwangju This Year... 30 Times Increase Compared to Last Year
City: "Timely Infant Vaccination Is Important... Pregnant Women and Cohabitants Also Need It"

Cough Etiquette Poster. Provided by Gwangju City

As a pertussis-related death has occurred in South Korea, Gwangju City has urged timely vaccination to prevent pertussis. Vaccination is also recommended for adults, including pregnant women and cohabiting family members, to protect infants under one year old.

The nationwide number of pertussis cases reached 30,332 as of the 2nd, with children and adolescents accounting for 87.7% (26,591 cases) of the total, indicating a nationwide outbreak. In Gwangju, the number of cases increased more than 30-fold compared to last year, reaching 612.

Vaccination of pregnant women in the third trimester (27?36 weeks) is essential to ensure that infants are born with immunity to pertussis before their first vaccination at 2 months of age. It is especially important for infants under 12 months to receive timely vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months without fail. High-risk groups such as immunocompromised individuals, patients with moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, caregivers including parents of infants and young children, healthcare workers, and postpartum care center staff also need to be vaccinated.

Gwangju City is actively encouraging the 6th dose vaccination for 11- to 12-year-olds, whose timely vaccination rates are relatively low, as pertussis is spreading widely among children and adolescents.

Son Ok-su, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau of Gwangju City, stated, “Timely vaccination is crucial for preventing pertussis,” and urged citizens to remain vigilant about respiratory infectious diseases and to follow preventive measures such as handwashing and practicing proper cough etiquette in daily life.