Whooping cough cases skyrocket in E Kazakhstan

Epidemiologists of East Kazakhstan ring the alarm regarding the increase in whooping cough cases in the region. There were only three cases recorded last year. But this year the situation has worsened considerably, Kazinform News Agency reports.

The regional sanitary and epidemiological control department has confirmed 117 cases of whooping cough since the beginning of the year, 115 of which were among children under 14 years old. Deputy head of the department Saule Slyamgazina highlighted that the vast majority of those affected up to 82% had not been vaccinated against the infection.

“Whooping cough is a disease that can be prevented through vaccination. Children are vaccinated against it at three, four, and five months of age, with a second vaccination recommended at 18 months. To halt the spread of infection, a catch-up vaccination campaign has been initiated at the national level. Parents may apply to their local health centers to receive relevant missed vaccines,” Saule Slyamgazina explained.

The rise in whooping cough cases is a cause for concern not only in East Kazakhstan but also in other regions of the country. Doctors say that the most effective method of protecting children from this potentially dangerous infection is timely vaccination.

It was earlier reported that Kazakhstan purchased more than 1.8 million doses of whooping cough vaccines for children.