This disease is particularly dangerous for children; in March, a baby in Graz succumbed to it. The number of whooping cough cases in Austria has significantly risen.
According to the Kurier newspaper, over 6,000 cases were registered by mid-June this year, as confirmed by the Austrian Ministry of Health, reports TASR, citing Wednesday’s APA report.
For comparison, there were only 2,780 cases of whooping cough reported in Austria for the entire year of 2023.
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides called for improved vaccination against whooping cough in May. “It is a severe disease, especially for infants. We have safe and effective vaccines that can prevent it. Vaccination is our most important tool to save lives and prevent further spread of the disease,” she emphasized.
In Austria, vaccination against whooping cough is part of the free child vaccination program, APA notes. Children are vaccinated at the third, fifth, and 11-12 months of age. In school-age children, the vaccine is given again in combination with tetanus, diphtheria, and polio vaccines between the ages of seven and nine, ideally before starting school. Subsequently, a booster is recommended every ten years, and every five years after the age of 60.
