Warning as whooping cough cases soar by 4,000 per cent

4:22pm Wednesday 1st August 2012 in News

Warning as whooping cough cases soar by 4,000 per cent Warning as whooping cough cases soar by 4,000 per cent

HAMPSHIRE parents are being warned of the dangers of a potentially fatal illness after the numbers of cases have soared by more than 4,000 per cent.

Latest figures have revealed that 126 cases of whooping cough have been confirmed so far this year across the county and the Isle of Wight – compared to just three in the whole of 2011.

Worryingly for mums and dads nine of these were in babies under the age of 12 months, when the cough can be fatal.

The sudden surge has left health chiefs urging parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against the infection as well as looking to take new steps to tackle any further increase.

The figures show that 107 cases were reported in Hampshire during the past six months, compared to just three in the whole of 2011, while there were ten in Southampton between January and June this year, compared to no cases in 2001.

The increase mirrors a national trend that has sparked concern and led to the Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health working together to stem the problem, with plans to introduce a booster dose in teenagers and offering the vaccination to pregnant women.

So far this year there have been five infant deaths related to the infection, compared to four in the same period in 2008, but health chiefs have refused to say where these deaths occurred.

Babies and young children who contract the illness often need hospital treatment.

Public health boss Dr Andrew Mortimore said: “Whooping cough affects all ages but this ongoing increase has extended to very young babies. It’s this age group that is most likely to suffer severe complications or even death.

“Whooping cough can spread easily to those who are in close contact such as family members.

Vaccination is the most effective way to protect people from the infection, so it’s really important that parents ensure their children’s vaccinations are up to date.”

The whooping cough vaccine is given in three separate jabs and a booster so that a child’s body has time to build up an effective level of protection. However its effectiveness may fade over time meaning that it is possible to develop the condition during adulthood.

Health bosses say that whooping cough is a cyclical disease, with increases every three to four years, but during the last peak in 2008, the total number of cases reached just 13.

Dr Mortimore added: “Anyone showing symptoms of whooping cough should visit their GP, who may prescribe antibiotics if they are still in the infectious stage.”

HOW DO YOU SPOT WHOOPING COUGH?

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9850302.How_do_you_know_your_child_has_whooping_cough/

Comments(16)

Georgem says...
4:42pm Wed 1 Aug 12

Good old Echo, spinning the figures. "Wow, 4000%? This is an epidemic!"

Mathematically fairly accurate, but come on, this is scaremongering.

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rich the stitch says...
4:50pm Wed 1 Aug 12

Come on Southy, tell us how this is all Thatchers fault....or the fault of that man, now what's his name now? Oh yes Rahit Maryada.

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freefinker says...
5:09pm Wed 1 Aug 12

.. could be either of his mates; Rahit Marayada or Reht Maryada.

Problem with all 3 is they only speak Sikh.

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Costa Baz says...
8:49pm Wed 1 Aug 12

Georgem wrote:
Good old Echo, spinning the figures. "Wow, 4000%? This is an epidemic!" Mathematically fairly accurate, but come on, this is scaremongering.
Scaremongering?
I'm in the London area today and the Metro is carrying the story of a 12 week baby that has died from Whooping Cough.

THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER FOOL

Report this post »

Georgem says...
9:13pm Wed 1 Aug 12

Costa Baz wrote:
Georgem wrote:
Good old Echo, spinning the figures. "Wow, 4000%? This is an epidemic!" Mathematically fairly accurate, but come on, this is scaremongering.
Scaremongering?
I'm in the London area today and the Metro is carrying the story of a 12 week baby that has died from Whooping Cough.

THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER FOOL
Whatever. Take your name-calling elsewhere.

Report this post »

Nod says...
10:50pm Wed 1 Aug 12

Georgem wrote:
Good old Echo, spinning the figures. "Wow, 4000%? This is an epidemic!"

Mathematically fairly accurate, but come on, this is scaremongering.
actually not particularly accurate as the 126 cases are in 7 months whereas the 2011 figure are for 12 months. So the figure could end up at 6000 - 8000%...

but if scaremongering is what needs to be done to get more people off their backsides to immunize their children, and therefore help to protect other peoples children (including those too young to be immunized) then keep on going please Echo.

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townieboy says...
6:15am Thu 2 Aug 12

id guess the increase of these cases would be all the extra immigrants in the country thuis year whose kids arnt vaccinated.

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SotonGreen says...
8:28am Thu 2 Aug 12

Again with the insinuations about immigrants folk really do behave like broken records....

Not getting your kids vaccinated is a form of child abuse in my eyes and one that is arrogantly perpetrated by thick parents who think they know better than trained medical professionals. In my experience this is as likely to be home grown as not.

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Georgem says...
8:32am Thu 2 Aug 12

SotonGreen wrote:
Again with the insinuations about immigrants folk really do behave like broken records....

Not getting your kids vaccinated is a form of child abuse in my eyes and one that is arrogantly perpetrated by thick parents who think they know better than trained medical professionals. In my experience this is as likely to be home grown as not.
You might find this site interesting:

http://www.jennymcca
rthybodycount.com/Je
nny_McCarthy_Body_Co
unt/Home.html

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freefinker says...
9:10am Thu 2 Aug 12

townieboy wrote:
id guess the increase of these cases would be all the extra immigrants in the country thuis year whose kids arnt vaccinated.
Judging by your spelling and punctuation errors I have my doubts as to your native status.

Report this post »

Georgem says...
9:26am Thu 2 Aug 12

freefinker wrote:
townieboy wrote:
id guess the increase of these cases would be all the extra immigrants in the country thuis year whose kids arnt vaccinated.
Judging by your spelling and punctuation errors I have my doubts as to your native status.
No no no, you misunderstand. He's merely stating his 'id guess', that is, one made impulsively by his pleasure-seeking subconscious. Although why his id is stimulated by vaccinations, or why he's bringing up Freud in a story about whooping cough, is beyond me.

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arthur dalyrimple says...
9:44am Thu 2 Aug 12

the olympics opening ceremony had hundreds of kids in hospital beds ,tad suspicious whooping cough has gone up by fourty times?

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freefinker says...
9:44am Thu 2 Aug 12

Georgem wrote:
freefinker wrote:
townieboy wrote:
id guess the increase of these cases would be all the extra immigrants in the country thuis year whose kids arnt vaccinated.
Judging by your spelling and punctuation errors I have my doubts as to your native status.
No no no, you misunderstand. He's merely stating his 'id guess', that is, one made impulsively by his pleasure-seeking subconscious. Although why his id is stimulated by vaccinations, or why he's bringing up Freud in a story about whooping cough, is beyond me.
.. ah, good point, missed that completely.
But how does the kid’s aunt come into this Freudian analysis?

Report this post »

Georgem says...
10:08am Thu 2 Aug 12

freefinker wrote:
Georgem wrote:
freefinker wrote:
townieboy wrote:
id guess the increase of these cases would be all the extra immigrants in the country thuis year whose kids arnt vaccinated.
Judging by your spelling and punctuation errors I have my doubts as to your native status.
No no no, you misunderstand. He's merely stating his 'id guess', that is, one made impulsively by his pleasure-seeking subconscious. Although why his id is stimulated by vaccinations, or why he's bringing up Freud in a story about whooping cough, is beyond me.
.. ah, good point, missed that completely.
But how does the kid’s aunt come into this Freudian analysis?
From behind, of course.

Report this post »

Georgem says...
10:08am Thu 2 Aug 12

arthur dalyrimple wrote:
the olympics opening ceremony had hundreds of kids in hospital beds ,tad suspicious whooping cough has gone up by fourty times?
Lol. "Olympics causes whooping cough pandemic". Send that one into The Onion.

Report this post »

arthur dalyrimple says...
3:23pm Thu 2 Aug 12

Georgem wrote:
arthur dalyrimple wrote:
the olympics opening ceremony had hundreds of kids in hospital beds ,tad suspicious whooping cough has gone up by fourty times?
Lol. "Olympics causes whooping cough pandemic". Send that one into The Onion.
the ceremony was called pandemonium - pandemic ,get it ?

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