Macedonia has experienced a dramatic rise in whooping cough cases, with 17 new cases reported between August 23rd and 29th. The latest report from the Institute of Public Health (IPH) revealed that the age of those affected ranges up to 49 years, with the highest number of cases occurring in the one to four-year-old age group. Three of the newly diagnosed cases required hospitalization. This brings the total number of whooping cough cases recorded in Macedonia to 1,049 as of August 29th, representing a substantial increase compared to the previous five-year period (2019-2023) when only 10 cases were registered. The distribution by gender indicates 477 cases among males and 572 among females. Of the total number of infected individuals, 1,042 exhibited symptoms, while the disease manifested in an asymptomatic form for seven individuals. The majority of cases have been concentrated in the Skopje area. Three ongoing epidemics have been reported in the Skopje, Kumanovo, and Tetovo regions. The age group under four years old has the highest number of cases, and the highest incidence rate is observed in those under one year old, reaching 1,282.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. Out of the total registered cases, 660 individuals were not vaccinated, not fully vaccinated according to their age, or lacked proof of vaccination. For those who were fully vaccinated, the average time elapsed between their last dose of the vaccine and the onset of the disease was 11 years. From January 18th to August 29th, a total of 65,544 doses of the vaccine containing the pertussis component were administered.
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