What is whooping cough? Treatment explored as health officials issue notice for New York outbreak

On Saturday, New York’s Suffolk County Department of Health issued a warning for whooping cough that has broken out in numerous school districts. The highly contagious bacterial infection reportedly appeared in November and has since spread rapidly. Health officials have now shared the symptoms one must look out for and treatment plans in case youngsters get affected by the same.

This is not the first time the health department has raised concerns over whooping cough. On December 30, Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr Gregson Pigott released a statement noting that they were tracking the whooping cough cases that are slowly taking over the city.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whooping cough is also called pertussis. In a recent press release, it was reported that nearly 110 cases had broken out in the Big Apple with the “vast majority” affecting children who attend local school districts and their parents.

No hospitalizations due to the same were reported at the time of writing this article.

Speaking about the importance of vaccinations to prevent the same, Dr John Brownstein, a Boston Children’s Hospital epidemiologist said in a statement to ABC News:

“The recent uptick in pertussis cases in New York serves as an important signal for health departments nationwide to ramp up monitoring and vaccination efforts.”

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To recognize whooping cough, one must look out for a high-pitched “whoop” after each cough

According to Piggot, pertussis can be extremely dangerous for infants as they are too young to be vaccinated. Children suffering from the infection can initially experience a cold for a week or two. USA Today revealed that the youngsters may experience a light fever of just under 100.4F. They might also experience a light cough and apnea.

Approximately two weeks after being sick, pertussis patients will develop a cough that can be “rapid, violent and uncontrollable,” according to the CDC. They also revealed that the phase can last up to 10 weeks.

To recognize whooping cough, one must look out for a high-pitched “whoop” after each cough, excessive vomiting, fatigue, and difficulty in breathing.

According to the CDC, the infection can be treated with antibiotics. They also recommend pregnant women to get vaccinated with a pertussis shot called Tdap. Babies must also get a pertussis vaccination called DTaP when they are two, four, and six months old.

Booster shots of the same can be given when they are between 15-18 months of age. Another booster can be given between four to six years of age as well.

Kids between the ages of 11 and 12 must get the pertussis prevention shot once every 10 years according to the CDC as well.

Recovery from pertussis can last up to three weeks, with the cough gradually decreasing.

The CDC revealed that 5,436 cases of pertussis were reported in the U.S. in 2023, 2,388 cases in 2022, 18,000 cases in 2019, and 15,000 cases in 2018. Due to the sudden increase in cases last year, the government agency recommends parents and guardians have their children receive timely vaccinations to prevent the illness.