ENOUGH babies in Northumberland were vaccinated against whooping cough to meet a key health target, new figures show.
It comes as cases of the respiratory disease have exploded this year, with the UK Health and Security Authority confirming the number of reported cases in 2024 is more than three times as many as last year.
A leading health expert has warned more babies will die if vaccination rates across the country do not rise.
UKHSA figures show 97.5 per cent of babies in Northumberland had received their six-in-one vaccine by their first birthday, which provides immunisation against a range of diseases including whooping cough.
This was up from 96.8 per cent the year before.
It means Northumberland was one of only 31 areas to reach the 95 per cent vaccination target set by the UKHSA.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here