Skopje, 15 March 2024 (MIA) – Forty-three new cases of whooping cough (pertussis) have been registered in North Macedonia over the past seven days (March 8 - 14), which is a drop of 14 percent compared to the previous week, shows the weekly report of the Public Health Institute (PHI) published Friday.

Most of the new infected patients are in Skopje – 190 or 88 percent in fourteen separate municipalities, eight in Tetovo, five in Kumanovo, three in Gostivar and one each in Struga, Strumica, Debar, Kriva Palanka, Bitola, Kavadarci and Kochani.

The ages of infected patients range from one month to 40, with most infected being younger than one or in the 10-14 age range.

Of the new cases, five have been hospitalized, including four children younger than one year and one child in the 1-4 age range. 

The country has recorded a total of 216 cases of whooping cough since the first registered infection in January.

One hundred and twenty-two of them or 5.05 percent were not vaccinated or incompletely vaccinated based on their age – those who were completely vaccinated on average went more than 12.7 years since they last received a dose or lack proof of vaccination, said the Institute.

According to the Institute, 36 of the infected have been hospitalized, 31 of which are children younger than four years.

Photo: MIA archive