Some 553 cases of the highly contagious infection were identified in January – compared to 858 for all of 2023. Symptoms are similar to a cold at first, but then develop into a serious cough after about a week.
The number of whooping cough cases in the UK has soared – prompting health officials to raise concerns about vaccine uptake.
There were 553 new cases of the highly contagious infection in January, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
This compares with 858 cases for the whole of 2023.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes which can cause serious health problems.
Symptoms are similar to a cold at first but, after about a week, patients will get coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night.