Skopje, 4 March 2024 (MIA) - Since the onset of 2024, and until March 1, a total of 120 cases of whooping cough (pertussis) have been registered in Skopje, Public Health Center's Lulzime Bajrami told MIA on Monday. 

An infant from Kumanovo, whose condition is stable, is the only child hospitalized with whooping cough at the University Clinic for Children's Diseases in Skopje, professor Svetlana Kocheva told MIA. 

The Commission for Infectious Diseases will meet at noon on Tuesday to discuss the situation in the country, with topics including, among other, the whooping cough and flu, the Commission's Spokesperson Zlate Mehmedovikj confirmed for MIA. 

The latest Public Health Institute report on whooping cough says that in line with recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Commission and the Institute, since January 18 all vaccination sites in the country are carrying out intensive checks in terms of unvaccinated persons, partly vaccinated persons or persons who have no proof of vaccination, in order to call and inoculate them according to the National Immunization Calendar. 

Caretaker Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Gjoko Velkovski, said on February 28 that no violations were found during vaccination controls in kindergartens due to the whooping cough epidemic.

Asked to comment on the situation with pertussis on February 15, caretaker Minister of Health Ilir Demiri said according to him, unvaccinated children should not return to kindergarten.

Photo: MIA archive