![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/shutterstock-id-1693522387-709821178.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCASES of whooping cough, otherwise known as the \u2018100-day cough\u2019, have spiked across the UK. <\/p>\n
An expert has revealed exactly why parents should be vigilant – but people of any age can catch it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cases of whooping cough have increased by roughly 230 per cent compared to last year, according to the latest report from the UK Health and Security Agency, on December 15.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Between July and the start of December, there were 856 reported occurrences of whooping cough, an increase of 230 per cent on the same period last year.<\/p>\n
Infections have been creeping up week by week, with 77 confirmed in the first week of December.<\/p>\n
While it's not a huge number of reported cases, GP Dr Tom Jenkins says: \u201cIt\u2019s something we want parents to be vigilant for and report early.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some experts have even suggested to "avoid hugging" over Christmas.<\/p>\n Here's why…<\/p>\n Whooping (hooping) cough, officially known as pertussis, is a fast-spreading bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dr Jenkins says: \u201cIt has evolved to make you cough as long as possible, giving it the best chance to spread to other people.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe make a big deal about it because – other than the fact the cough carries on for ages after – the frequent coughing doesn\u2019t give you time to breathe properly, and it makes you quite out of breath.<\/p>\n \u201cThat can be important for anybody but particularly children.\u201d<\/p>\n Babies under six months are most at risk of problems such as breathing difficulties and pneumonia.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – the US health agency – says about one third of babies younger than one years old who get whooping cough need care in the hospital. <\/p>\n It says around one in 100 of those will die of the disease. But these statitsics may not be the same for the UK.<\/p>\n According to a July report from the UK Health and Security Agency, the last pertussis-related death of an infant was reported in the second quarter (April to June) of 2019.<\/p>\n Serious complications can be seen in anybody, however, and given the cough lasts for so long, it can have implications on a person's life.<\/p>\n The first signs of whooping cough are similar to a cold, such as a runny nose and sore throat.<\/p>\n Around a week later, a person will have coughing fits that are so severe that they make a whoop sound between coughs as they gasp for breath.<\/p>\n If you see your child has laboured breathing, don\u2019t delay seeking help. <\/p>\n Coughing may lead to sore ribs, a hernia or an ear infection.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dr Jenkins says: \u201cWhooping cough causes a high in-breath sound, which is unusual for a normal cough. That should alert you to something unusual going on.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can be a life-threatening situation. That is true of any condition causing abnormal breathing sounds because it means airways are under distress.\u201d<\/p>\n Infected people are contagious from about six days after the start of cold-like symptoms, for up to three weeks after the coughing starts.\u00a0<\/p>\n Parents should take babies under six months with symptoms of whooping cough for an urgent GP appointment or call 111.<\/p>\n Pregnant women and those with a weak immune system should do the same.<\/p>\n Dr Jenkins says: \u201cIf you see your child has laboured breathing, don\u2019t delay seeking help. <\/p>\n \u201cThat means the emergency department [or call 999] if there are signs their skin is changing colour or if [breathing] is getting rapidly worse.\u201d<\/p>\n Shallow breathing, chest pain that\u2019s worse with coughing and seizures are also signs to call 999.<\/p>\n Dr Jenkins says: \u201cBut if it's only just started, you have time to call 111 or ask for an urgent GP appointment.<\/p>\n \u201cOften things happen in the night and parents shouldn't delay seeing a GP in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr Jenkins says any cough that causes difficulty breathing should be reported, as it could also be croup or bronchiolitis.<\/p>\n If diagnosed within three weeks of the cough, antibiotics will be given – but while they reduce the spread of the cough, they may not reduce symptoms.<\/p>\n Antibiotics past this point are unlikely to help, but a person can still suffer symptoms due to respiratory damage.\u00a0<\/p>\n Babies under six months and those with severe whooping cough are usually given hospital treatment.<\/p>\n Dr Jenkins urged people not to ignore signs of whooping cough because the earlier its diagnosed, the less serious it will become.<\/p>\n As the symptoms can last so long, it can affect people\u2019s ability to work long-term, and therefore affect their life.<\/p>\n Dr Jenkins says: \u201cI see it all the time – people can\u2019t get sick pay and their employees say \u2018You\u2019ve just got a cough\u2019, and in some jobs like a restaurant or carer, you\u2019re spreading it to others.\u201d<\/p>\n The whooping cough vaccine protects babies and children from getting whooping cough.\u00a0<\/p>\n It is given to babies at eight, 12 and 16 weeks, and as a booster for children aged three years.<\/p>\n But uptake dropped over the pandemic and is at a seven-year low.<\/p>\n Coverage in\u00a0London\u00a0is particularly low at just 41.4 per cent.<\/p>\n Experts have urged parents to look at their kids\u2019 vaccination records.<\/p>\n Pregnant women should have the jab between 16 and 32 weeks.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/newspress-collage-oomgc7izn-1702641872895.jpg\")
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