Women's Health Wednesday: Whooping cough cases

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) - Over the last year, there has been an increase in Whooping Cough (Pertussis) cases across the United States.

As of November 16, 2024, nearly six times as many cases have been reported nationally, compared to the same time frame, a year ago. That is higher than what was seen at the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic when more than 10,000 cases were typically reported each year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says mitigation measures, such as social distancing and mask wearing, lowered the transmission rate of Whooping Cough during the pandemic. Now, they believe the United States is beginning to return to pre-pandemic patterns and expects to see an increase in both unvaccinated and vaccinated populations.

Experts also believe that much of the disease goes unrecognized and unreported.

Whooping cough may begin like a common cold, but unlike a cold, the CDC says coughing can last for weeks or months. The disease can be fatal for infants and other vulnerable individuals who are not vaccinated. If it is treated early with antibiotics, it can lessen the symptoms but the best way to not get it is by staying up-to-date with your vaccinations.

In this week's Women's Health Wednesday, Dr. Iram Mall of St. Peter's Family Medicine, joins us to talk about the trends she is seeing locally.