Kosovo sees rise in whooping cough cases affecting preschool children

The Coalition of NGOs for the Protection of Children (KOMF) warned that whooping cough cases have risen in Kosovo, with the National Institute of Public Health confirming 78 cases as of 27 July 2026. Seventeen children, mostly aged one to two years, are hospitalized at the University Clinical Center's Infectious Diseases Clinic, two of them receiving oxygen support.

The outbreak has spread to two preschool institutions, where several unvaccinated children were infected. KOMF urged the preschools to enforce the mandatory presentation of official vaccination proof for all enrolments and called on parents and legal guardians to ensure their children are vaccinated according to the regular schedule, emphasizing that vaccination is a legal duty and essential for child health protection.