Denmark’s whooping cough cases ten times over normal level
An ongoing whooping cough epidemic in Denmark is yet to peak, with cases now at ten times the normal level.
Some 200 cases of the disease were detected during the week beginning September 11th, ten times over the normal level, the national infectious disease agency State Serum Institute (SSI) said in a press statement on Thursday.
The month of August saw 439 confirmed cases, which is four times the regular level.
Denmark is currently experiencing an epidemic of the illness with case numbers still increasing, SSI said.
The statistic for case numbers accounts for cases confirmed by lab testing and therefore do not include cases which have not been confirmed in this way.
Around 100 cases per month is around the usual incidence of whooping cough in Denmark.
“We have seen both a fast and strong increase in whooping cough in recent months and since whooping cough is very infectious, it is important to be aware and to minimise passing it on,” senior researcher Tine Dalby of SSI’s infectious epidemiology and prevention department said in the statement.
Whooping cough appears as epidemics in intervals of three to five years and the epidemics typically last between six months and a year, SSI has previously said.
Pregnant women are currently offered free vaccination against whooping cough, a single-dose injection at GP clinics intended to protect newborn infants during their early months until they can receive the vaccination themselves.
READ ALSO:
- Denmark reinstates free whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy
- Denmark in whooping cough epidemic with August cases four times over normal
Denmark’s child vaccination programme includes jabs against the disease, but it is not given until the child is a few months old, with doses at 3, 5 and 12 months.
Whooping cough (kighoste in Danish) is caused by a bacteria, Bordetella pertussis. The time between infection and the onset of symptoms is around 5 to 15 days.
Both children and adults can be infected with the disease, but it is most dangerous for infants, according to the Danish infectious disease control agency SSI.
Symptoms initially resemble a cold and light cough lasting around two weeks, before more severe and dry coughing fits begin. The dry coughing can last for as long as 10 weeks.
Small children can suffer up to 30-40 coughing fits per day as a result of the disease.
The infection can be dangerous for small children due to their narrower airways, in which hardened mucus can collect and cause breathing difficulties.
Long coughing fits can also result in the child not taking in sufficient oxygen.
Six infants have died of whooping cough in Denmark since 1995, according to official figures.
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Some 200 cases of the disease were detected during the week beginning September 11th, ten times over the normal level, the national infectious disease agency State Serum Institute (SSI) said in a press statement on Thursday.
The month of August saw 439 confirmed cases, which is four times the regular level.
Denmark is currently experiencing an epidemic of the illness with case numbers still increasing, SSI said.
The statistic for case numbers accounts for cases confirmed by lab testing and therefore do not include cases which have not been confirmed in this way.
Around 100 cases per month is around the usual incidence of whooping cough in Denmark.
“We have seen both a fast and strong increase in whooping cough in recent months and since whooping cough is very infectious, it is important to be aware and to minimise passing it on,” senior researcher Tine Dalby of SSI’s infectious epidemiology and prevention department said in the statement.
Whooping cough appears as epidemics in intervals of three to five years and the epidemics typically last between six months and a year, SSI has previously said.
Pregnant women are currently offered free vaccination against whooping cough, a single-dose injection at GP clinics intended to protect newborn infants during their early months until they can receive the vaccination themselves.
READ ALSO:
- Denmark reinstates free whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy
- Denmark in whooping cough epidemic with August cases four times over normal
Denmark’s child vaccination programme includes jabs against the disease, but it is not given until the child is a few months old, with doses at 3, 5 and 12 months.
Whooping cough (kighoste in Danish) is caused by a bacteria, Bordetella pertussis. The time between infection and the onset of symptoms is around 5 to 15 days.
Both children and adults can be infected with the disease, but it is most dangerous for infants, according to the Danish infectious disease control agency SSI.
Symptoms initially resemble a cold and light cough lasting around two weeks, before more severe and dry coughing fits begin. The dry coughing can last for as long as 10 weeks.
Small children can suffer up to 30-40 coughing fits per day as a result of the disease.
The infection can be dangerous for small children due to their narrower airways, in which hardened mucus can collect and cause breathing difficulties.
Long coughing fits can also result in the child not taking in sufficient oxygen.
Six infants have died of whooping cough in Denmark since 1995, according to official figures.
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