Infant under two months old dies from whooping cough, first case since 2011

[Anchor]

For the first time since records began, there has been a death from whooping cough in the country.

The infant was less than two months old and had not yet received their first vaccination.

Whooping cough is currently spreading significantly among children and adolescents, so it is essential to ensure vaccinations are up to date.

Reporter Hong Jin-ah has the details.

[Report]

An infant who was less than two months old recently died from whooping cough.

This is the first death reported since statistics began being compiled in 2011.

On the 31st of last month, the infant visited the hospital with symptoms of coughing and phlegm and was diagnosed with whooping cough.

Although treatment was started, the condition worsened, and the infant passed away four days later.

The infant had not received the whooping cough vaccination, which is available from two months of age.

[Yang Jin-seon/Director of Infectious Disease Management, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency: "The infant who died this time was were too young to receive vaccinations."]

Whooping cough, a respiratory infection characterized by paroxysmal coughing, is currently spreading nationwide this year.

As of early this month, there have been over 33,000 cases, already exceeding the total number of cases from last year by 103 times.

88% of the patients are children and adolescents.

The number of high-risk patients, infants under one year old, is also on the rise.

Cases have increased from about 2 to 4 per week to as many as 12 recently.

The Disease Control Agency emphasizes that for infants to be born with immunity to whooping cough, pregnant women between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation must receive the vaccine.

Once the baby is born, vaccinations should be administered at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, and it is also advisable for family members and caregivers to complete their vaccinations.

[Song Jong-geun/Pediatric Clinic Director: "Grandparents and parents who care for the baby should get vaccinated before the baby is born."]

Health authorities are actively encouraging vaccinations for 11- to 12-year-olds, as the vaccination rate in this age group is relatively low, given that whooping cough is currently spreading among children and adolescents.

This is KBS News, Hong Jin-ah reporting.