Over 30,000 Cases of "Whooping Cough" Already... Japan on Alert as Record-High Infections Reported

Pertussis Cases in Japan Surpass 35,000 This Year
More Than Eight Times Last Year's Total... Highest Ever Recorded
Erythema Infectiosum, Also Known as "Apple Disease," Spreading

Pertussis, a respiratory disease characterized by paroxysmal coughing, is rapidly spreading in Japan, with the number of cases this year reaching an all-time high.

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According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on July 2, the Japan Institute of Health Crisis Management (JIHS), the country's disease control authority, announced the previous day that a total of 3,211 pertussis cases were reported during the one-week period from June 16 to 22. The newspaper explained that this is the highest weekly figure since related statistics began being compiled in 2018.

The cumulative number of pertussis cases reported in Japan so far this year has reached 35,810. This represents an increase of more than eightfold in just half a year compared to the total number of cases for the entire previous year (4,054). It is also more than double the previous record set in 2019 (16,845 cases).

In Japan, more than 10,000 pertussis cases were reported annually in both 2018 and 2019, but the number dropped sharply from 2020, when COVID-19 began to spread. However, the number has started to rise again since 2024.

Another infectious disease, erythema infectiosum?commonly known as "apple disease"?is also spreading. According to JIHS statistics, the average number of erythema infectiosum cases reported per medical institution at about 2,000 pediatric clinics nationwide was 2.53, the highest level since 1999.

Erythema infectiosum is a viral illness that initially presents with symptoms similar to the common cold, followed by red rashes on both cheeks. It most frequently affects infants and children aged approximately 2 to 15. Special caution is required if a pregnant woman becomes infected, as it can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

Japanese health authorities have urged not only children but also pregnant women and adults to proactively seek vaccination and early diagnosis, emphasizing that those working in professions that involve contact with children should be especially cautious.

Meanwhile, pertussis cases are also on the rise in South Korea. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of pertussis cases, which was only 292 in 2023, surged to 48,048 last year, an increase of 164.5 times. In particular, in November of last year, an infant died from pertussis, marking the first pertussis-related death in South Korea since related statistics began being compiled in 2011.

Pertussis is a bacterial respiratory disease characterized by paroxysmal coughing. The name comes from the fact that those infected may cough for up to 100 days. It is mainly transmitted through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. After an average incubation period of 7 to 10 days, initial symptoms resemble those of a common cold, but severe coughing fits and vomiting can persist for more than two weeks.

Pertussis can affect people of all ages, but the majority of cases occur in infants, children, and adolescents under the age of 20. In particular, infants whose immune systems are not fully developed are at risk of complications such as pneumonia, seizures, otitis media, and neurological disorders, and in severe cases, the disease can be fatal, requiring special caution.