Whooping cough, which has been on the rise for several months in several countries, continues to circulate actively in France, with around twenty child deaths now recorded since the start of the year, the public health agency announced on July 30.
Several deaths in July
The last few weeks have seen the " Continuation of the whooping cough epidemic on the national territory", summarized Public Health France in a report published on his site. “ If some indicators seem to be on the decline " with in particular a lull in visits to the emergency room, " Interpretation should be cautious because the July data are not yet consolidated", the agency specifies.
Whooping cough, a highly contagious viral disease, is often benign but can cause serious respiratory and neurological complications, sometimes fatal in babies. Since the beginning of the year, 20 children have died from whooping cough, according to this latest report. At the end of June, this figure stood at 14 deaths. The agency also counted eight adult deaths linked in part to whooping cough, but for these people, all aged over 50, the disease is not considered the primary cause of death.
Read alsoWhooping cough: the High Health Authority insists on the importance of vaccination
Resurgence of many infectious diseases
France, like many other countries, has been experiencing a resurgence of whooping cough for several months, in a context marked by the resurgence of many other infectious diseases such as measles. Doctors regret that vaccination against whooping cough is not yet the rule for infants, especially since the vaccine has been recommended for several years during pregnancy in order to immediately immunize the newborn.
The High Authority for Health recently stressed the need to vaccinate more pregnant women. It also extended its vaccination recommendations to everyone around the baby, including siblings or grandparents, if the mother has not been vaccinated at least one month before giving birth.
English 
French