Eight infants die from pertussis in England as cases surge

Eight infants have tragically lost their lives to pertussis this year in England, with a concerning rise in confirmed cases reported by the UK Health Security Agency. The decline in maternal vaccination rates is highlighted as a major concern, with data showing a significant drop in rates since 2017. The UKHSA is revising guidance on public health management of pertussis, with changes to the vaccine administered for the pertussis vaccination in pregnancy program set to take effect from 1 July.