Although the incidence of Whooping Cough is in decline, according to data from the Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre in London, there has been an increase in undetected transmission of whooping cough (Pertussis).

The increase was most evident in infants under three months of age and is likely to be the result of coming into contact with older, vaccinated but unprotected people. If this is the case, it indicates that the whooping cough vaccine does not create lifelong protection and that individuals remain at risk.