CDC Alerts Public to Surge in Whooping Cough Cases, Up Sixfold Compared to Last Year

December 24, 2024 TruthUSA

The CDC noted, “The United States is starting to mirror pre-pandemic trends where annual reports typically exceed 10,000 cases.”

According to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of whooping cough have surged approximately six-fold compared to the same time last year.

As of December 14, which is the most recent data available, the CDC reports that over 32,000 cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have been documented across the United States, as mentioned in their December 20 update.

The statistics indicate that more than “six times as many cases have been reported as of week 50 compared to the same period in 2023,” according to a separate statement from the CDC on December 19. “The count of reported cases this year surpasses that of the same time in 2019, before the pandemic began.”

In the same time frame last year, around 5,100 cases of whooping cough were recorded, according to CDC data indicates. For the entirety of last year, over 6,500 cases were registered, CDC figures show.

“Over the past several years, reports of pertussis cases were lower than normal during and after the COVID-19 pandemic,” the CDC remarked. “Nevertheless, the U.S. is witnessing a return to pre-pandemic levels where annual reports typically exceed 10,000 cases.”

Since 2002, the U.S. has seen an average of around 20,000 reported pertussis cases each year, with 9,771 cases documented in 2002 and a peak of 48,277 in 2014. In 2019, there were 18,617 cases, but reports dropped significantly in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 2,116 cases reported in 2021.

Some of the mitigation strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, including social distancing and mask-wearing, may have contributed to a decrease in whooping cough transmission, according to the CDC.

The agency highlighted the importance of vaccinations but emphasized that cases of the disease, which is caused by a bacterium affecting the upper respiratory tract, can occur in both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals.

“Pertussis can manifest in vaccinated individuals as the immunity from the vaccine diminishes over time,” it stated. “Local and state health departments are aware of these trends and are effective in managing increases in pertussis cases and executing appropriate control measures.”

Children receive the DTaP vaccine—a series of vaccinations provided for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis—while adults may receive the TDaP vaccine, which targets the same diseases, according to health officials.

Signs and Symptoms of Whooping Cough

Though pertussis may initially present like a common cold, the accompanying cough can persist for weeks or even months, officials explain.

“Individuals experiencing these coughing bouts often describe it as the most severe cough they have ever encountered,” the CDC states.

The illness can also lead to a mild fever, sleep disturbances, breathing difficulties, and even rib fractures due to intense coughing. Recently, the U.N. Children’s Fund reported that whooping cough is highly contagious, spreading primarily through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. Symptoms typically present one to ten days after exposure, according to the organization.

Younger children and infants may experience breathing challenges, while older children and adults generally exhibit milder symptoms resembling those of a common cold, as noted by the Washington State Department of Health.

If individuals suspect that they or a family member may have whooping cough or have been exposed, they are advised to contact their doctor, clinic, or nurse for a diagnosis.

Source link