Within a month, there will be at least a thousand whooping cough patients, comments Prof. Iva Hristova, director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases.
There are 38 children under the age of one who have contracted whooping cough, said Dr. Kremena Parmakova, head of the Department of Infectious Disease Surveillance at the Ministry of Health, during the “Vaccine School.”
Epidemic outbreaks of whooping cough are registered all over the world, there are over 5-6 thousand cases in many European countries, and the infection started last year, recalled Dr. Parmakova. Children aged 10-19 are mainly affected, some of whom have been vaccinated. Whooping cough is a disease that is especially dangerous for babies who are of pre-immunization age, and measures should be related to protecting very young children. Children allergic to eggs can be vaccinated against whooping cough, the doctor said.
All countries are talking about measures to reduce harm to newborns. Some countries recommend immunizations for babies’ relatives, and pregnant women to be vaccinated in the third trimester, she added. In Bulgaria, there are currently only a few cases among adults, and therefore there is currently no immunization campaign among them, added Dr. Parmakova. The pertussis vaccine for adults is available in the pharmacy network, but its administration should be discussed with the GP, she added.
More and more cases of whooping cough are being registered every week, said Prof. Hristova and pointed out that 80-90 new cases are already being registered per week. Prof. Hristova advised the parents of newborn children not to meet them with too many people, and that the relatives of the baby should get vaccinated and wear protective masks, writes BTA.
The “School” is organized by the “Astra Forum” foundation with the assistance of the office of the World Health Organization in Bulgaria and in partnership with the “Patient Portal” online platform. The initiative marks the European Immunization Week (April 24-30) and the 50th anniversary of the WHO Expanded Program on Immunization.
