TOKYO: Whooping cough cases in Japan hit a new weekly record of 3,353 cases, the highest since the current survey method began in 2018, according to the Japan Institute for Health Security.
Preliminary data from the national health research institute showed that the latest figure reported by medical institutions across the country in the week through June 29 went up 142 from the previous week.
The country logged 39,672 cases of the infectious bacterial disease, characterised by spasmodic coughing attacks, from the start of the year, a significant increase from the roughly 4,000 reported for all of 2024, the institute said.
Since early April, the number of patients reported across the country has been exceeding 1,000 a week, the data showed.
The highly contagious acute respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis, may lead to other complications like pneumonia or encephalopathy, which could be fatal, especially for infants up to six months old.
There have been reports this season of infants dying or becoming seriously ill. Up to the end of June, four infants aged between less than one month and four months were confirmed dead in four prefectures, local media said. - Xinhua
