The Children’s Health Foundation is sounding the alarm: in 2024, 25,271 cases of whooping cough were reported in Germany, the highest number in ten years and more than twice as many as in 2014. Infants under one year of age are particularly affected and are at high risk of severe or fatal cases, the foundation said in its latest statement. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), 2024 was the highest annual number of cases since the introduction of mandatory reporting, with six deaths.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the number of infections fell sharply thanks to protective measures, but Germany is now seeing a massive increase. Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, does not only affect children: around 60 percent of cases occur in adults, whose average age has risen from 15.1 years (1995) to 41.7 years (2008). Adults, including parents and grandparents, can unknowingly infect babies, as the disease often only occurs in them as a long-lasting cough without typical symptoms such as crowing breathing noises. According to the RKI, at least 1,100 adults require inpatient treatment every year.

The disease begins harmlessly with a normal cough, but develops after one to two weeks into seizure-like, agonizing coughing fits, which can cause shortness of breath, vomiting and a “whooping cough tic” in children. Whooping cough is particularly dangerous for newborns who have no protection from their mother’s antibodies. The RKI reports that around every second sick child has to be treated as an inpatient. The bacteria spread through droplet infection when coughing, sneezing or talking.

The Children’s Health Foundation emphasizes that vaccinations can prevent the disease. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommends basic immunization for infants at two, four and eleven months and booster vaccinations for close contacts every ten years. Pregnant women should be vaccinated in the third trimester to protect their children. However, the high vaccination rate of over 90 percent for school starters is not sufficient, as vaccination protection is declining and there are vaccination gaps in adults.

Editorial office: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender note. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple references and gendered designations are avoided for the sake of better readability ected.