Following the case of a baby hospitalized in critical condition after contracting whooping cough, the Ministry of Health reported an increase in whooping cough cases across the country.
The Ministry stressed that while the vaccine given to babies starting at six weeks of age provides protection against several dangerous diseases including whooping cough and polio, the risk of morbidity in newborns until they reach vaccination age makes it important for pregnant women to vaccinate in the third trimester, transferring antibodies to the placenta.
The Ministry also emphasized the importance of providing routine vaccinations against infectious diseases, some of which may cause severe complications as well as death.