Historic illness returns: Ireland battles dangerous whooping cough upsurge

DUBLIN, Ireland - Ireland's health officials have raised concerns over an increase in cases of whooping cough, also known as a 'Victorian sickness' due to its prevalence and severity during that period.

The infection, known medically as pertussis and informally as the '100-day cough', has peaked here in years.

According to fresh data from Ireland's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), 514 cases have been reported thus far in 2024, with 153 requiring hospitalization.

Whooping cough frequently begins with cold-like symptoms such as sneezing, a runny nose, low temperature, and mild coughing, making it easy to misdiagnose in the early stages.

However, within two weeks, symptoms worsen, with patients having intense coughing fits that culminate with a pronounced "whoop" as they gasp for air.

While whooping cough can occur at any age, with cases reported annually among teens and adults, it is especially severe in young children.

Infants are more likely to experience consequences such as respiratory distress, blue skin due to oxygen deprivation, and vomiting during coughing fits.

The disease can last up to three months, earning it the name '100-day cough'.

This year's reappearance of whooping cough in Ireland follows record-low case numbers during the pandemic, with only five cases reported in 2021, seven in 2022, and 18 in 2023.

A breakdown of the current cases shows that young children have the highest frequency, with 101 cases in infants aged 0-5 months, 87 in toddlers aged 1-2 years, 53 in children aged 5-9 years, and another 53 in those aged 10-14.

The HPSC attributed the recent increase to a normal five-year cycle of pertussis cases.

A spokesman said, "Cycles of increased pertussis typically occur every five years."

We last saw a large number of cases in 2016 and 2017. Given the epidemic's impact, it is not surprising to see this spike in 2024.

Whooping cough is highly contagious and spreads quickly through close contact, coughing, or sneezing.

The strongest defense against pertussis remains vaccination, which is included in Ireland's national immunization program.

Health officials emphasize the need for vaccination, especially for young children, as it remains the most effective strategy to prevent the spread of this dangerous respiratory illness.