Colds and cough are considered unpleasant but normal occurrences in winter. However, you should do your best to follow medical guidelines when it comes to prevention, as well as isolating from others.
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Apart from Norovirus warning, and the news about rise in rickets and scurvy infections, there's another serious affliction you should pay attention to this winter.
As reported by Mirror, cases of whooping cough have spiked in the UK. In Wales, cases have risen to a record-high level this year. This bacterial infection is also called 100-day cough, which indicates just how long it takes to be completely rid of it.
Cases of whooping cough on the rise
As per the report, particularly in Wales, whopping cough cases have risen exponentially this January. Mirror quotes Public Health Wales as saying,
Whooping cough has waves of increased infection every three to four years and in the last few weeks, notifications of whooping cough have risen sharply.
This cough can be especially dangerous for babies. The report quotes epidemiologist Dr Christopher Johnson,
It can be very serious and lead to pneumonia and permanent brain damage. Young babies with whooping cough are at risk of dying from the disease.
As per the NHS, whooping cough can spread very easily.
Once you have whopping cough, stay off school, work or nursery until 48 hours after starting antibiotics, or 3 weeks after your symptoms started if you've not had antibiotics. If you do not have any cough for 3 weeks, it means that you are no longer contagious.
Whooping cough: what to do when it happens
Treatment for whooping cough depends on the age and the duration of the infection. As per NHS, you should be seeking medical attention in the following cases:
- In case the patient is a baby under 6 months old,
- If you're pregnant and came in contact with someone with whooping cough or
- If you have a weak immune system.
- Also, if your whopping cough seems to be getting worse, call a doctor urgently.
If you are an adult, are not immune-compromised, take care of your whopping cough by getting plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and in case of discomfort, you can take paracetamol or ibuprofen for relief.
To prevent whopping cough altogether, you can take a whopping cough vaccine that is routinely provided by hospitals. Do read the directives by the NHS before taking any.
Read more:
⋙ Your cough could be an early sign of deadly cancer
⋙ This is why you shouldn't turn off your radiators this winter even if you're not home
⋙ Hot water bottle: Here's how to use them safely this winter
Sources used:
Mirror: 'Sufferers of ‘100-day cough’ warned stay off work and school – as cases hit 10-year high'
NHS: ' Whooping cough'
