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Cases of whooping cough detected at Ermesinde high school and other establishments
RTL | Updated: 02/26/2024 7:24 p.m.
Cases of whooping cough have increased significantly since the start of the year in Luxembourg. At Ermesinde high school, several children have been affected by the disease, and a visit from the Health Inspectorate is planned this week.
“ Several cases of whooping cough have recently been reported in your child's school and we would like to inform you of the measures to take to limit the spread of this disease which can be avoided by vaccination ”: parents of students at Ermesinde high school have recently received this letter from the Ministry of Health. Contacted by RTL, the latter confirms that cases have also been recorded in other educational establishments in the country.
The Ermesinde high school secretariat announces that a team from the Health Inspectorate will be present on the premises on Thursday February 29 to offer vaccination. This is a common procedure in this scenario. But the fact remains that this disease must be taken seriously.
Whooping cough, recalls the Ministry of Health, " is a respiratory bacterial disease which is transmitted by droplets emitted during coughing. It is very contagious. " " Whooping cough first manifests itself as a severe cold with cough and low fever: the cough can take the form of severe fits. The cough lasts several weeks and can wake you up at night. This illness can be very serious in babies who have not yet been vaccinated and in fragile adults. "
The majority of children and adults have been vaccinated but a regular booster is necessary , she continues: “ Vaccination represents the most effective way to prevent the disease and avoid its transmission. Likewise, vaccination just after contact with a sick person helps prevent the disease. If your child is not or no longer up to date with vaccinations or if their last dose was more than five years ago (average duration of antibodies induced by the whooping cough vaccine), it is recommended to carry out a vaccination against whooping cough as quickly as possible after contact with a positive case. " The vaccine used is a combined vaccine which also protects against diphtheria , tetanus and polio.
If you have any questions, the press release suggests contacting the Health Inspectorate at telephone number: 247-85650.
Sharp increase in cases this year
“ Whooping cough is still present ,” noted last January, Serge Allard, president of the Luxembourg Pediatric Society . And not just a little: 21 new cases of the disease had been detected since the start of the year in Luxembourg, while “only” 18 cases had been recorded throughout 2023 .
It's unclear why whooping cough is spreading so strongly at this time. Children are normally vaccinated against the disease at 2 months of age, then 4 months and again at 11 months, before a booster at 5-6 years and 15 years. Then, in adulthood, a booster is indicated every 10 years. Doctor Serge Allard: “There you have an interval of ten years, where immunity or protection decreases slightly each year, to be very low again after five years.”
https://infos.rtl.lu/actu/luxembourg/a/2172524.html
Cases of whooping cough detected at Ermesinde high school and other establishments
RTL | Updated: 02/26/2024 7:24 p.m.
Cases of whooping cough have increased significantly since the start of the year in Luxembourg. At Ermesinde high school, several children have been affected by the disease, and a visit from the Health Inspectorate is planned this week.
“ Several cases of whooping cough have recently been reported in your child's school and we would like to inform you of the measures to take to limit the spread of this disease which can be avoided by vaccination ”: parents of students at Ermesinde high school have recently received this letter from the Ministry of Health. Contacted by RTL, the latter confirms that cases have also been recorded in other educational establishments in the country.
The Ermesinde high school secretariat announces that a team from the Health Inspectorate will be present on the premises on Thursday February 29 to offer vaccination. This is a common procedure in this scenario. But the fact remains that this disease must be taken seriously.
Whooping cough, recalls the Ministry of Health, " is a respiratory bacterial disease which is transmitted by droplets emitted during coughing. It is very contagious. " " Whooping cough first manifests itself as a severe cold with cough and low fever: the cough can take the form of severe fits. The cough lasts several weeks and can wake you up at night. This illness can be very serious in babies who have not yet been vaccinated and in fragile adults. "
The majority of children and adults have been vaccinated but a regular booster is necessary , she continues: “ Vaccination represents the most effective way to prevent the disease and avoid its transmission. Likewise, vaccination just after contact with a sick person helps prevent the disease. If your child is not or no longer up to date with vaccinations or if their last dose was more than five years ago (average duration of antibodies induced by the whooping cough vaccine), it is recommended to carry out a vaccination against whooping cough as quickly as possible after contact with a positive case. " The vaccine used is a combined vaccine which also protects against diphtheria , tetanus and polio.
If you have any questions, the press release suggests contacting the Health Inspectorate at telephone number: 247-85650.
Sharp increase in cases this year
“ Whooping cough is still present ,” noted last January, Serge Allard, president of the Luxembourg Pediatric Society . And not just a little: 21 new cases of the disease had been detected since the start of the year in Luxembourg, while “only” 18 cases had been recorded throughout 2023 .
It's unclear why whooping cough is spreading so strongly at this time. Children are normally vaccinated against the disease at 2 months of age, then 4 months and again at 11 months, before a booster at 5-6 years and 15 years. Then, in adulthood, a booster is indicated every 10 years. Doctor Serge Allard: “There you have an interval of ten years, where immunity or protection decreases slightly each year, to be very low again after five years.”
https://infos.rtl.lu/actu/luxembourg/a/2172524.html
