Baby dies of whooping cough after mother not vaccinated while pregnant

A baby whose mother was not vaccinated against whooping cough while pregnant has died after contracting the infection, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.

The death, which occurred between January and June 2025, is the first fatal case of whooping cough in the UK this year.

It follows government warnings about low vaccine uptake, including among children, as well as an increase in vaccine hesitancy.

None of the main childhood vaccines in England reached the uptake target of 95% last year, recent data from the health agency showed.