Whooping Cough Cases Double in Europe in 2024: Romania Reports 27,568 Cases

A dramatic increase in whooping cough cases has been reported across Europe in 2024, doubling compared to the previous year. According to an analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, the number of cases reached its highest level in over 25 years. Children under five accounted for more than 40% of the 127,350 cases recorded last year in the region, which includes 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, as stated in a WHO announcement. ‘Whooping cough is back, and this is a warning. Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security,’ said WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Henri Kluge. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), an independent EU agency, reports that Romania faces the most severe outbreak, but all EU countries have reported cases. From early 2024 to early 2025, over 32,000 cases were documented in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—a significant rise from 2,400 cases in 2023. ECDC warns that cases may continue to rise in the coming months, with numbers peaking in the first half of 2024. ‘The number of cases is likely to increase in spring 2025,’ notes ECDC. Most cases last year were reported in Romania (27,568), followed by Italy (1,097), Germany (637), Belgium (551), and Austria (542). All countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) have reported cases. A total of 18 people died in Romania and one in Ireland. The majority of infected individuals (86%) were unvaccinated, according to ECDC, many being children under four years old.