'Highly contagious' and 'very serious' bug sweeping UK with cases soaring

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The UK is dealing with a "very serious" and "highly infectious" pertussis outbreak that can be dangerous for newborn babies.Also known as whooping cough, cases of the infection have been spreading across the UK.

There were 716 reported cases between July and November, which is three times the number during the same period in 2022 Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam from the UKHSA told The Sun that this rise was "expected".

They explained that social distancing and lockdown measures during the Covid-19 pandemic had significantly impacted the spread of infections, including whooping cough reports the Mirror.

He explained: "As expected, we are now seeing cases of whooping cough increase again, so it's vital pregnant women ensure they get vaccinated to protect their baby."Prof Helen Bedford, an expert in child public health at University College London, added: "Whooping cough in young babies can be very serious and vaccinating their mothers in pregnancy is the only way of ensuring they are protected in the first few months."Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs and breathing tubes.