Cases of whooping cough have been identified in approximately one hundred educational institutions in Luxembourg

At the beginning of March, the whooping cough epidemic affected only thirty schools. The Lycée Vauban was particularly affected, as was the Ermesinde secondary school in Mersch. Within a month, the disease had spread to schools in Luxembourg.

Already 140 cases of whooping cough have been identified in 27 schools in Luxembourg

This Friday, the Minister of Health Martin Despres (CSV) and the Minister of National Education Claude Meisch (DP) take stock of the whooping cough epidemic in response to a parliamentary question from Pirales deputies Sven Clement and Ben Polidori. According to the ministry, from January 1 to April 7, 376 cases of whooping cough were reported in Luxembourg.

Among these cases, 271 were detected in students, mainly high school students. While just over ten cases were reported in secondary schools during the first seven weeks of the year, the number of cases increased sharply in March. In early April, during the first week of the Easter holidays, the number of reported cases split by four.

Ten teachers affected by the virus

In addition to the students, ten teachers were exposed to whooping cough. According to ministers, a total of 53 primary schools, 47 secondary schools and three kindergartens have been affected by the epidemic so far.

To try to stop the spread of the virus, a medical check was carried out at the classical high school in Diekirch on 19 March. A cluster was discovered at the establishment. Students’ immunization records were reviewed, and those who were not vaccinated were given a vaccine injection with parental permission.

Whooping cough is circulating again

That day, the sanitary and epidemiological station checked 981 vaccination cards, and 380 people were vaccinated on site. “The campaign was very well received by students, their parents and teachers, so the chain of infection was broken,” the ministers say. A total of 8,228 doses of pertussis vaccine are available in Luxembourg.