Skopje, 2 February 2024 (MIA) - A total of seven whooping cough cases have been registered in the country, of which only three are active and the rest are considered non-infectious.

Commission for Infectious Diseases chair Zlate Mehmedovikj told MIA on Friday that two of the active cases are children and one is an adult patient hospitalized at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases.

The Commission for Infectious Diseases is set to hold a meeting next Wednesday to discuss the situation with the seasonal flu and whooping cough.

Authorities emphasize that vaccination remains the most effective protection.

"Vaccines are the safest, most reliable and effective protection against the whooping cough and all other diseases for which there are vaccines," head of the Infectious Diseases Commission, Aleksandar Petlichkovski told MIA back in January.

Health Minister Fatmir Mexhiti believes it is high time the mindset around vaccines changes and children get vaccinated.

The number of people suffering from the whooping cough in Serbia has increased. Serbian media note that in Belgrade, the largest number of hospitalized patients from January 22-28 have been children aged 10-19. Several babies have died so far.

The whooping cough is a contagious and easily transmittable disease. Initial symptoms resemble that of the flu and they appear in the first nine to ten days. Cough attacks happen later and the disease lasts longer. Small children and babies are most often affected, but adults can get infected too. ssh/ik/

MIA file photo