SPKC said that 155 cases of whooping cough were recorded in 2024 between January and March, while in 2023 there were 21 cases in January-March (a total of 111 cases of whooping cough were recorded in 2023).
The highest incidence in 50 years was observed in 2019 when 720 cases of pertussis were recorded (37.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), and there is also a tendency to increase incidence.
A marked increase in the number of patients with whooping cough began in December 2023, when the number of registered patients was 4.3 times higher than in December 2022.
Number of cases of pertussis in Latvia in the last 20 years:
According to the current children's vaccination calendar, the vaccine against pertussis should be received at 2, 4, 12-15 months, 7 and 14 years of age.
Currently, compared to the pre-pandemic period, the number of unvaccinated children in Latvia has increased significantly, who have not received a booster against pertussis at the age of 7 and 14.
Vaccination against whooping cough was started in Latvia in 1958.
Pertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious, acute respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. The disease is characterized by a severe cough that can last two months or even more.
