Prague [Czech], April 3: Nearly 5,300 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have been reported in the Czech Republic so far this year, according to data from the Czech State Health Institute (SZU).
In its epidemiological situation report published on Tuesday, the SZU said 1,044 cases of whooping cough were recorded in the 13th week (March 25-31) of this year, bringing the yearly total to 5,297. Local media reports that this year's outbreak in the country has been the most severe since the 1960s.
The Czech Republic has seen rising whooping cough cases in the 12 weeks since the start of the year. Last week's caseload is slightly down from the previous week's 1,151 infections, which the SZU attributed to school closures during the Easter holidays.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease. The SZU data showed that 1,685 cases, or about one-third, are young people aged 15-19, while 85 cases have been reported among children under one year old. Nearly 3 percent of the cases ended up in hospital, and two infected elderly people have died this year.
The SZU said out of the total cases, 3,897 people, or about 73 percent, have been vaccinated. Local media said the main reason for the spread of whooping cough is that the current generation of teens had received less effective vaccines than previous generations. Another reason is that less Czechs are being vaccinated than in the past.
Since 2007, Czech children have been vaccinated with a substance that produces fewer side effects, but provides less long-term immunity, reported the Czech News Agency.
Source: Xinhua