Skopje, 30 August 2024 (MIA) – Seventeen new whooping cough cases were registered in the period from August 23 until August 29. The infected are people under 49 with most whooping cough cases being between one and four years old. Of the new cases, three patients were admitted to hospital, says the latest report of the Public Health Institute.

North Macedonia currently registers 1,049 whooping cough cases with an incidence of 57,1/100.000 residents. It is a manifold increase in the number of infected people compared to the five-year period from 2019 until 2023, which registered a total of 10 cases. 

Of those, 477 people are male and 572 are female.

Most of the whooping cough cases are registered in the wider area of Skopje. 

Epidemics were declared on the territory of Skopje, Kumanovo and Tetovo. 

Children under four make up most of the cases and the highest incidence is registered in babies under one - 1.282,1/100.000 residents.

Of the total number of cases, 660 patients weren’t vaccinated, weren’t fully vaccinated according to the age or there is no proof of vaccination.

A total of 65,544 whooping cough vaccines were administered from January 18 until August 29. 

Photo: MIA archive and Public Health Institute