The number of cases of the highly contagious cough has multiplied in the past year. The health authorities of Lower Austria therefore recommend vaccination.
As if corona, flu and RSV viruses weren’t enough. Now the highly contagious whooping cough, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, is spreading increasingly rapidly throughout Lower Austria. Compared to previous years, the number of cases has increased significantly.
While a total of only ten cases were registered nationally in 2022, there were already 138 the year before. The disease was diagnosed particularly often during the cold season – probably due to increasing vaccination fatigue. “The increased number of cases is due to the fact that the booster vaccination must take place every ten years. If this does not happen, one case of whooping cough can of course infect many people,” says health director Regina Klenk.
Who is especially at risk?
Infants, small children and especially the elderly are at particular risk because the disease progression is very severe, she adds. According to local health authorities, vaccination is and remains the best protection against unpleasant coughs and serious illnesses – just like with corona and flu.
Vaccinations are available free of charge for children
Free immunizations are offered even in childhood as part of the six-shot vaccination course. According to the vaccination plan, protection must then be renewed every ten years. “During the pandemic, a significant decrease in whooping cough cases was observed, as was the case with other transmissible respiratory diseases. Now that people have more contact again, the whooping cough bacteria are also increasing again,” says State Health Councilor Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig.
Source: Krone
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