Two infants have died of whooping cough in Saint-Laurent du Maroni in recent weeks. Since September, the Chog has reported to the ARS 16 cases of whooping cough in infants and children. A worrying resurgence in an area where vaccination coverage is low.
Whooping cough caused the death of two infants in Saint-Laurent du Maroni in recent weeks. This disease is on the rise in western Guyana.
Since September, 16 cases of whooping cough have been reported in infants and children by the Western Guiana Hospital Center (Chog) at the ARS. Among them, two resulted in infant deaths.
Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory infection. “An infected person transmits the disease to 15 other people on average. recalls the Pasteur Institute. Contamination occurs through the air and can be very rapid.
The intensification of the circulation of this bacteria is worrying because in western Guyana vaccination coverage is low. Whooping cough is then transmitted between children. Elsewhere, it is done by adults and adolescents.
In Guyana, no epidemic has been recorded since that of 2005-2006. “The difficulties of access to vaccination, the large number of pregnant women and infants and precariousness are all factors of vulnerability of the territory in the face of a resurgence of whooping cough”recognizes the ARS.
In this context, the Regional Health Agency explains that it brought together, last Thursday, the Chog, the PMI, the CLS of Saint-Laurent, the Red Cross and Public Health France, to coordinate on patient care.
The ARS recalls that for “To deal with this epidemic, the most effective strategy remains vaccination. She also invites all health professionals to report cases of whooping cough that they identify.
As a reminder, the whooping cough vaccination policy is based on 3 complementary strategies:
- Early and compulsory primary vaccination of infants from the age of 2 months and the administration of recommended boosters until adulthood;
- Vaccination of pregnant women from the second trimester of pregnancy, favoring the period between 20 and 36 weeks of amenorrhea;
- Vaccination of people likely to be in close contact with the infant during its first 6 months of life (so-called cocooning strategy).
Furthermore, vaccination is also recommended for the following populations:
- Immunocompromised people or people suffering from a chronic respiratory disease;
- Healthcare professionals and students in the medical and paramedical sectors;
- People working in close and repeated contact with infants aged less than 6 months and more generally early childhood professionals.
The incubation phase of whooping cough is marked by a runny nose for about two weeks. At the height of the illness, the cough will be persistent, and without fever in the majority of cases. The fits are associated with difficult inspiratory recovery and the convalescence period can last several weeks.
The intensification of the circulation of whooping cough in Guyana comes one year after that which occurred in France. The peak seemed to have been reached last August. Vigilance is maintained, but the number of cases is still high. Guyana is therefore experiencing the epidemic a few months late.
Furthermore, the regional context is also similar with an increase in cases of whooping cough in the Americas. In Brazil, the number of cases increased fourfold between 2023 and 2024. In the United States, the increase was 300% between the last two years.
