The first death of whooping cough in Korea...infants under two months of age

In recent years, the number of whooping cough patients has soared, and the first death in Korea has occurred.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on the 4th that an infant under 2 months old who was hospitalized for whooping cough died of worsening symptoms.

The infant showed symptoms such as coughing and phlegm before the first vaccination for whooping cough and phlegm, and was confirmed on the 31st of last month.

The number of whooping cough patients in Korea continues to emerge mainly from infants, children, and adolescents, but this is the first time the death has occurred since statistics were compiled in 2011.

As of November 1, a total of 30,332 patients were reported for whooping cough characterized by paroxysmal cough, and the nationwide trend continues mainly among children and adolescents aged 7 to 19.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said that it is necessary to protect high-risk groups in a situation where pertussis is prevalent not only in Korea but also around the world, and in particular, it is essential to vaccinate pregnant women so that infants can be born with pertussis immunity before their first vaccination.

In addition, adults such as parents and care workers of infants and toddlers, medical workers, and postpartum care workers were also asked to be vaccinated.