Whooping cough cases in the United States have nearly quintupled in the past year.
Montana has not seen a significant spike so far, but health officials are keeping an eye on the situation.
According to the latest data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 25,000 cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have been reported nationally so far this year. That’s a nearly five-fold increase over last year.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection which can be spread by people who are unaware they have it. Infection starts with a general cough, perhaps with a fever and runny nose. Within a week or two it progresses into violent coughing fits.
Jessica Lopeman, with the Montana Health Department says two factors likely explain the national growth in cases. During the COVID years, widespread masking mandates helped prevent the spread of whooping cough. Missed vaccinations during that time may also be contributing to the current rise in cases. Lopeman says pertussis cases also tend to spike every 3 to 5 years.
She tells MTPR there have been 99 pertussis cases reported in Montana so far this year. That’s not particularly significant compared to previous years, but she adds cases have ticked up slightly since the start of this school year.
Experts say the best way to prevent whooping cough infection is for adults and young children to get vaccinated.
