Whooping cough is sweeping Scotland with more than 5000 cases recorded this year already.

Just three years ago, there were only four cases in a year. The alarming rise in pertussis – the clinical name for the disease – has been blamed on a drop in immunisations across the UK Europe.

Last night, a Public Health Scotland spokeswoman said: “As pertussis continues to circulate in Scotland, immunisation of pregnant women and young children is vital.”

Cases of whooping cough have been increasing in Scotland since late last year. But from the start of 2024 to July 8, there have been 5026 laboratory-confirmed cases – more than the three most recent years combined.

Generally, there is a spike in cases about every three to five years but this one is seen as exceptionally large.

Last year, there were only 73 cases but 56 of them were in the last quarter as the outbreak began to take hold. By ­comparison, in 2021 there were only four cases in the entire year and three cases in 2022.

Whooping cough is an acute bacterial disease of the ­respiratory tract, after an ­infection.

It can affect people of all ages but unimmunised infants are more likely to develop ­complications which can require hospital treatment and, in severe cases, can be fatal.

In 2012, NHS Scotland ­introduced vaccinations for pregnant women at 16-32 weeks to give protection to babies before they are old enough to start routine immunisations.

Antibodies which protect against disease, produced by the vaccinated mother, can be
transferred across the placenta.

The illness is often less severe in adolescents and adults, however they may suffer a prolonged cough.