United States: The nationwide numbers of whooping cough cases continue to rise in 2024 as physicians report nearly four times more incidence than during the corresponding period of 2023.
More about the news
Whooping cough cases in the United States reached 35,000 cases in 2024, which is the highest recorded level in more than a decade.
Whooping cough killed ten individuals, and six babies under one year of age died.
Experts wanted to gain information about the origins of whooping cough because its prevalence had recently increased, CNN Health reported.
What vaccination serves to halt the disease while listing down its suggested recipients? Why does the current case number appear to be rising? People worried about whooping cough should take these steps for self-protection as well as protection for others.
What causes whooping cough?
Whooping cough cases are rising fast — here’s what you need to know to stay protected. I broke it down on @9NEWS.
— Dr. Payal Kohli, MD (@payalkohlimd) April 28, 2025
Full Story: https://t.co/GvwMDT98iQ pic.twitter.com/OdaPQPw0lM
According to Dr. Leana Wen, who is an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University, “Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. These bacteria are spread from person to person. If someone infected with pertussis coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets are released that contain the bacteria. People nearby can become infected by breathing in the droplets. The bacteria can also be spread through prolonged close contact when people share the same breathing space — for instance, when infected people hold a baby.”
Symptoms of the disease
The symptoms generally start seven to 10 days following infection. Initially, an infected person develops symptoms similar to a cold and other mild respiratory infections, such as a low-grade fever, runny nose, and cough. The cough often then progresses to a severe hacking cough that is characterized by violent coughing fits, as Wen described.
During these coughing fits, people may make a high-pitched “whoop” when they try to take breaths after they cough, hence the name whooping cough. The fits may be so severe that they vomit during or afterward. Many struggle to sleep as a result. Some may have trouble breathing, and patients have been known to break their ribs due to the severity of the force associated with coughing, the expert added.