Skopje, 25 March 2024 (MIA) – Seventy-two new cases of whooping cough (pertussis) were registered in North Macedonia between March 15 and March 21, shows the latest weekly report of the Public Health Institute.

Most of the new cases were registered in Skopje (58), but there are also cases in Kumanovo (7), Bitola (4), Debar (1) and Struga (1).

Out of the 72 new infections, nine have resulted in hospitalization (12.5 percent). The hospitalized patients are seven children younger than one year, one in the 15-19 age range and one patient in the 20-29 age range.

The ages of the newly registered patients range from 0 to 44, with most infected being younger than one or in the 10-14 age range.

The country has recorded a total of 287 cases of whooping cough since the first registered infection in January, 247 (86.1 percent) of them are in Skopje.

One hundred and fifty-seven of them or 54.7 percent were not vaccinated or incompletely vaccinated based on their age – those who were completely vaccinated on average went more than 12.6 years since they last received a dose or lack proof of vaccination, said the Institute.

According to the Institute, 44 of the infected have been hospitalized, 38 of which are children younger than four years.