An epidemic of unprecedented dimensions
After several years of poor circulation, whooping cough recorded an impressive recovery in 2024. According to the latest report published by Public Health France, in general medicine, more than 162,000 cases have been estimatedcompared to just six in 2023. Emergency departments recorded more than 7,000 visits and nearly 1,500 hospitalizations.
The epidemic peak was reached in the heart of summer, between July and August, before a gradual decline in autumn. An outbreak that surprised the authorities due to its intensity and speed of spread.
This resurgence is part of a natural epidemic cycle of whooping cough, observed every three to five years. But the recovery came later than expected after the Covid-19 pandemic, which had temporarily slowed the circulation of many respiratory viruses.
As a result, a larger than usual “pool” of non-immune peoplefavoring the spread of bacteria Bordetella whooping cough.
Newborns, first victims of the epidemic
As often happens, children under six months of age are most affected by severe forms. In 2024, the RENACOQ hospital network reported 500 newborns hospitalizedof which 74% were less than six months old.
Among these, five deaths were recorded, all among unvaccinated children.
These figures reflect a serious vulnerability: before the age of two months, children are not yet eligible for vaccination. Protection is therefore based on vaccination of pregnant womenwhich allows the transfer of antibodies to the fetus. Good news though: vaccination coverage of expectant mothers jumped to 62% in 2024compared to 43% the previous year, even reaching 75% at the end of the year.
In children born in 2023, complete vaccination coverage at 21 months is around 92%, a high rate but still insufficient to completely block the circulation of the microbe.
Severe forms even among the elderly
If newborns account for the majority of hospital admissions, adults are not spared. Of the 46 deaths recorded in 2024, 22 involve adults over 50, of which 15 are over 80. In them, whooping cough often occurs after a decline in immunity, several years after the last dose of vaccine.
This situation led to High Health Authority strengthen, from the summer of 2024, its recommendations: any person in regular contact with a child (parents, grandparents, healthcare or early childhood workers) should receive a booster vaccination every five years. Childcare workers and nursery staff are particularly concerned.
Supervision remains necessary in 2025
After a tense summer in 2024, indicators show a calm. In the first half of 2025, PCR test positivity rate dropped to 5.5%compared to 22% from the same period the previous year.
According to Public Health France, emergency visits and hospitalizations have returned to “pre-epidemic” levels. Only Réunion Island still records a notable recovery.
But experts urge us not to let our guard down: Whooping cough often follows two-year cycles. The peaks of 2012-2013 and 2017-2018 demonstrated that vigilance must be maintained, especially in spring and summer, when the disease circulates most.
Prevention can still be improved
Despite the strong mobilization, the health authorities highlight whooping cough it is not a benign disease. It initially manifests as a persistent cough, often confused with a simple cold, before progressing to violent attacks, sometimes accompanied by apnea in newborns.
Transmission is rapid within families: in more than half of cases the contaminant is a parent, brother or sister.
To slow the circulation of the virus, vaccination remains the best weapon. It is recommended starting from 2 months, with boosters at 11 months, 6 years, then in adolescence and adulthood.
Healthcare workers also need to ensure their vaccinations are up to date, particularly if they work with children or pregnant women.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
