Whooping cough cases are on the rise in the U.S., with cases skyrocketing to the highest levels seen in a decade, health officials reported.

Pertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness that is a common endemic disease in the U.S.. The infection tends to surge in cycles, with peaks in reported cases occurring every few years.

In the past few years, whooping cough cases dropped to lower-than-expected levels, largely due to pandemic precautions like masking and remote learning. However, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now sounding the alarm as the country returns to pre-pandemic trends, or even surpassing them, with more than 10,000 cases typically reported annually.

"Preliminary data show that more than five times as many cases have been reported as of week 41, reported on October 12, 2024, compared to the same time in 2023. The number of reported cases this year is higher than what was seen at the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic," the CDC said in a report.

Meanwhile, health officials urge people to get vaccinated as it is the best way to prevent whooping cough. However, the CDC expects a rise in cases across both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations as infection patterns return to normal, largely due to waning immunity from earlier vaccinations.

Know Symptoms:

The symptoms can begin just like a common cold with a runny or stuffed nose, occasional cough, and low-grade fever for around two weeks. Young children, particularly those under the age of one are likely to get severe infection.

As the infection progresses, patients may experience intense coughing fits lasting up to 10 weeks. These fits often produce a distinctive "whoop" sound when inhaling after a coughing episode. Other signs include vomiting during or after coughing fits, extreme fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and even trouble breathing. In severe cases, the force of coughing can lead to rib fractures.

Prevention

Whooping cough vaccination is recommended for prevention for people of all ages including babies, preteens, teenagers, and pregnant women. However, the effectiveness of vaccines can wane over time. In the case of individuals who are already exposed to pertussis bacteria, the use of preventive antibiotics is also recommended.

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