Poland’s Kujawsko‑Pomorskie region reports a sharp rise in whooping cough, with cases jumping from 1,654 in 2020 to 3,020 in 2024, while vaccination rates have slipped to 85‑89%.
Rising Whooping Cough in Kujawsko‑Pomorskie
The Kujawsko‑Pomorskie Provincial Sanitary‑Epidemiological Station warns that the number of refused vaccinations is steadily rising. In 2020 there were 1,654 reported cases, climbing to 3,020 in 2024. This drop in immunisation to 85‑89% in some counties has led to a sharp rise in whooping cough. In 2023 the region recorded 36 cases, and by 2024 the figure had surged to 1,144. About 90% of unvaccinated people who contact an infected individual are at risk of contracting the disease.
Vaccinations: The Only Safe Defense
The National Institute of Public Health stresses that vaccinations are the most reliable and safest way to prevent serious infectious diseases. The whooping cough jab is mandatory, consisting of four doses given during the first months of a child’s life, with boosters at 6 and 14 years. Whooping cough is an acute, recurrent respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis, transmitted largely by airborne droplets among children and within families. Infants and young children typically show an explosive, “barking” cough that can lead to apnea or seizures, whereas adults experience a prolonged cough.
Spikes in Kraków Prompt Free Adult Shots
In the previous week we reported that Kraków’s whooping cough cases erupted, growing more than 38 times over eighteen months. City and regional authorities launched a free vaccination program for adults. State County Sanitary Inspectorate data shows 32 cases in Kraków in 2023, rising to 1,237 by mid‑December 2024, with projections of 3,281 cases in 2025 according to the city’s Health and Spa Council.
