The number of whooping cough cases in the Netherlands has reached the highest level in 10 years, with 7,187 reported to date, public health institute RIVM said on Wednesday.

Some 1,800 reports have been made in the past two weeks, including 50 cases in babies, the RIVM said. 

Half the babies under the age of five months to catch the disease have been hospitalised, as have a quarter of those up to 11 months. So far four babies and two elderly adults have died. 

The last major peak in cases was in 2012 when 13,828 infections were registered. In 2014 there were 9,206. 

There were few infections during the coronavirus pandemic and experts say the measures to control the spread of that disease have likely had an impact on whooping cough.