‘100-Day Cough’ Spreading Across UK; Health Officials Issue Warning

New Delhi: A highly contagious disease known as “100-day cough” is rapidly spreading across the UK and health experts have issued a warning about it. The bacterial infection, experiencing a surge of 250% in cases, begins with symptoms resembling a cold but can progress to prolonged and intense coughing bouts lasting up to three months, Fox News reported.

The UK Health Security Agency said that between July and November, there were 716 reported cases of pertussis, a bacterial infection of the lungs, which is three times higher than the same period in 2022.

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director of Public Health Programmes at the agency told The Independent that the number of infections had decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to social distancing and lockdown policies, but is now on the rise again, according to the report.

Whooping cough (pertussis), a lung and airway infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria, was once a major killer of babies. A 1950s vaccine dramatically reduced its impact.

Not just babies, but older children and adults can also get whooping cough. The 100-day cough can cause hernia, sore ribs, middle ear infections and urinary incontinence According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says that whooping cough can make it difficult to breathe. Intense cough can also lead to vomiting and sore or even fractured ribs.  The NHS said that the whooping cough is preventable and a vaccine is available that can protect children and babies, the report added.