PREGNANT women in Bexley are being advised to have a vaccination against whooping cough following a national outbreak.
In London, 350 cases have been reported in the past eight months compared to 54 last year and 29 in 2010.
Chairman of Bexley Clinical Commissioning Group Dr Howard Stoate, said: "There has been a sharp increase in the number of children being affected and this is a precautionary measure to protect babies too young to have had their first set of inoculations."
Whooping cough is highly contagious and new-borns are particularly vulnerable.
Nine infants have died from the disease this year and 302 cases have been reported in children under three months.
The main symptoms of whooping cough are severe coughing fits accompanied by the characteristic ‘whoop’ sound as the child gasps for breath after coughing.
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