Whooping cough (pertussis) is spreading among small children in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces, with more than 1,000 cases being recorded so far. Of these, seven have died.

Yala provincial governor, Ampon Pongsuwan, said today that, in Yala alone, 158 cases have been diagnosed among young children aged under 7 and pregnant women, two of whom have died.

He said that the infectious respiratory disease is also spreading in Narathiwat and Pattani provinces, mostly among young children. There is a tendency for infections to increase and more children will die if action is not taken immediately to curb the spread of the disease.

According to Dr. Wiset Sirindhornsophon, the Yala provincial health chief, the infection was first detected in January last year and, to date, more than 700 cases had been diagnosed. Two unvaccinated new-born children have died.

He disclosed that most of the infected children were either not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated and lack immunity to the bacteria, adding that the infection may lead to a severe and life threatening lung infection.

The best way to protect children under 7 is to get them vaccinated. Pregnant women in their second trimester should also be vaccinated, for the safety of both the mother and the unborn child.