Denmark’s whooping cough epidemic declared over
A whooping cough epidemic ongoing in Denmark since last year is now considered to be over, health authorities said on Wednesday.
The national infectious disease control agency State Serum Institute (SSI) said in an update on its website that the epidemic has now passed.
Just over 100 confirmed cases of the disease were registered between February 19th – 25th, SSI said.
Whooping cough infections began rising last summer and SSI classified the situation as an epidemic in September.
Past epidemics with the disease occurred in Denmark in 2019-20 and 2016-17. Whooping cough generally appears as epidemics in intervals of three to five years.
In response to the epidemic, pregnant women were 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.
The temporary vaccination programme for pregnant women was given funding in the 2024 budget, allowing it to be made permanent from January 1st. More information about it is available via the Danish Health Authority.
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 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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The national infectious disease control agency State Serum Institute (SSI) said in an update on its website that the epidemic has now passed.
Just over 100 confirmed cases of the disease were registered between February 19th – 25th, SSI said.
Whooping cough infections began rising last summer and SSI classified the situation as an epidemic in September.
Past epidemics with the disease occurred in Denmark in 2019-20 and 2016-17. Whooping cough generally appears as epidemics in intervals of three to five years.
In response to the epidemic, pregnant women were 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.
The temporary vaccination programme for pregnant women was given funding in the 2024 budget, allowing it to be made permanent from January 1st. More information about it is available via the Danish Health Authority.
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 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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