HSE urges pregnant women to get whooping cough vaccine

Health Protection Surveillance Centre data shows that 85 cases of whooping cough — also known as pertussis — either confirmed or probable. File Picture: iStock

Pregnant women are being urged to get the whooping cough vaccine as case numbers for this year look set to match last year’s record tally.

There were over 539 cases last year, with 25% needing hospital care. Among hospital patients, 65.6% were babies aged less than five months.