Two infants die of whooping cough in Montpellier: what we know

Whooping cough has struck again: two babies under three months have died in Montpellier, the media announced this Monday, June 17. Free Midday Professor Éric Jeziorski, head of the pediatric emergency and post-emergency department at Montpellier University Hospital. These deaths occur in a context of a strong resurgence of this very contagious disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis.

A first death in April

In April, four babies under three months old were hospitalized in Nice because of whooping cough. One of them did not survive. In the first quarter, around fifteen clusters were also identified in France, according to Public Health France.

Significant outbreaks of whooping cough have also been reported in other European countries, such as Croatia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. And this epidemic could intensify in the coming months, according to the Public Health France report.

Read also : You cough: how do you know if it’s whooping cough?

When to get vaccinated against whooping cough?

Faced with this resurgence of the disease, the French Public Health agency is calling for “strengthen public awareness of this disease and its methods of prevention”vaccination in mind.

“Vaccination against whooping cough is compulsory for infants (since January 1, 2018) and recommended for children born before this date” recalls Health Insurance. This vaccine consists of one injection at two months and one at four months, followed by boosters at 11 months, 6 years, then between 11 and 13 years.

A recall must then take place at age 25. If this booster was not done at this age, it can be done anytime between 26 and 39 years old.

Finally, faced with the epidemic context, health authorities are also calling on pregnant women to be vaccinated to protect their unborn child, during each pregnancy.