Blockade briefly stops Pride Parade in downtown Winnipeg
A group of protesters briefly blocked the Winnipeg Pride Parade on Sunday.
European countries have reported a surge in whooping cough cases in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, with 10 times as many identified as in each of the previous two years.
In total, nearly 60,000 cases were reported by European Union and European Economic Area countries over the period, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Wednesday, with 11 deaths in infants and eight among older adults.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and airways, and is endemic in Europe. It can be very dangerous for young babies or older people.
Bigger whooping cough epidemics are expected every 3-5 years even in countries with high vaccination rates, the ECDC said, although a slight dip in immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic may have been a factor in the rise. Circulation of whooping cough was also very low during the pandemic and its related restrictions on movement, making the rise seem larger.
The numbers are still historically high, though. In the first three months of 2024, there have already been as many cases as there were in an average year between 2012 and 2019.
The agency noted that much of the population had missed out on natural boosting of their immunity to whooping cough because they had not been exposed to it during the pandemic.
Babies under six months are at particular risk from the infection.
"It's essential to remember the lives at stake, especially our little ones. Vaccines against pertussis have proven to be safe and effective," said ECDC Director Andrea Ammon.
Most European countries routinely immunize children against pertussis and many also vaccinate pregnant women to protect their babies. The ECDC said some countries may want to consider giving boosters to older children and adults too, as immunity can wane.
(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Kevin Liffey)
A group of protesters briefly blocked the Winnipeg Pride Parade on Sunday.
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
Ryan Reynolds this week unveiled arguably the most anticipated and sure-to-be coveted merchandise tied to his upcoming 'Deadpool' sequel: the movie’s novelty popcorn bucket.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump said he is 'OK' with serving potential jail time or being under house arrest following his historic conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
During the pandemic, the Ontario government started to hand out cash to parents to help offset the cost of at-home learning while schools were shuttered.
Eight people, including four children, have second- or third-degree burns as a result of an incident at a home in Saint-Constant, Que. south of Montreal, the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie (CETAM) reported on Saturday.
Media magnate Rupert Murdoch, 93, has married for the fifth time, his corporation, News Corp, confirmed Sunday.
South Korea said Sunday it’ll soon take retaliatory steps against North Korea over its launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border and other provocations.
Car 14 is a luxury passenger car that once made regular runs from London to Port Stanley starting in 1917.
A hefty donation by a renowned local activist to the University of Winnipeg has created what is believed to be the most comprehensive two-spirit archives in all of Canada.
Leanne Van Bergen discovered a skulk of 10 baby foxes, and two mothers, had made themselves at home on her property in Beausejour.
An 81-year-old Waterloo, Ont. woman thought she’d never ride a horse again after a brain bleed led to severe physical complications.
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
Prince Edward Island is celebrating its first-ever International Day of Potato on Thursday.
The president of Covered Bridge Chips in New Brunswick is hoping to have his factory rebuilt for late 2025 following a devastating fire last year.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
Debby Lorinczy remembers her father as an amazing person and as a man who also made an amazing discovery.