- A baby in the UK has died from whooping cough, marking the first such death in the country this year.
- The infant's mother had not been vaccinated against the highly infectious disease, which affects the lungs and airways.
- This death occurs as whooping cough vaccination rates among children and pregnant women in the UK have fallen to their lowest levels in over a decade.
- The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed the case and emphasised the severe risk whooping cough poses to very young babies.
- Health officials are urging pregnant women to get vaccinated to protect their babies, noting that 27 of the 33 infant deaths since 2012 involved unvaccinated mothers.
IN FULL
Baby dies of whooping cough as vaccination rates hit historic low
