Whooping cough speeding in China, 13 deaths in 2 months. Symptoms and if a vaccine is there

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Whooping cough is making a post-pandemic comeback in China, with cases surging more than 20-fold in the first two months of 2024. The country reported a combined 32,380 cases of pertussis — more commonly known as whooping cough — in January and February, compared with 1,421 cases during the same period in 2023, Bloomberg reported, citing National Disease Control and Prevention Administration. There were 13 deaths. The number of infections detected in the first 60 days of the year is near the full 2023 total, underscoring the risk of the highly contagious respiratory disease in China. China had seen a major respiratory disease outbreak in 2023 after pulling itself out of the Covid mire in late 2022.

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria, according to WHO. It spreads through respiratory droplets, posing a significant threat to infants and leading to severe illness and mortality.

Whooping cough symptoms

Symptoms typically appear 7 to 10 days post-infection, starting with mild fever, runny nose, and cough, progressing to prolonged coughing spells and occasional whooping sounds during inhalation. Pneumonia is a common complication, while seizures and brain disease occur rarely, according to WHO. Contagion peaks within 3 weeks of cough onset, with coughing spells lasting 4 to 8 weeks. Antibiotics are the primary treatment for pertussis. Early symptoms of whooping cough look very much like the common cold — with a stuffy nose, low-grade fever and a mild cough often reported. That makes it difficult to diagnose until more severe symptoms emerge.