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Surge in Whooping Cough Cases Marks Record Thanksgiving Week
Recent reports indicate a concerning rise in whooping cough (pertussis) cases, with health authorities documenting at least 364 infections last week alone. This statistic, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlights the most severe Thanksgiving week for pertussis cases in multiple decades.
To put this into perspective, this figure exceeds the previous record of 228 cases reported during the Thanksgiving week ending November 27, 2010. That year concluded with a total of 27,550 reported cases. This year, with the tally already reaching 28,167, the infection rate continues to climb.
Typically, the Thanksgiving period witnesses a decline in disease reporting due to holiday-related delays in testing and healthcare visits. However, this year’s spike in whooping cough is evident across various states, particularly in Ohio, which alone reported 84 new cases—a notable increase from the previous week’s 67 cases.
A representative from the Ohio health department explained that pertussis can be cyclical. After experiencing lower case numbers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the state now sees a resurgence reminiscent of pre-pandemic patterns. The spokesperson added that while cases are rising, the totals have not yet surpassed the peak observed in 2013.
Nationally, while the total number of whooping cough cases remains lower than in some prior years, the weekly reporting of cases reached 577 ahead of Thanksgiving, marking an increase of more than tenfold compared to the same period last year—the highest rate in a decade.
Various factors have been attributed to the current wave of whooping cough cases, including reduced immunity in the population due to gaps in vaccination and previous infections, as well as the transition to a less effective vaccine in the 1990s.
Dr. Becky Thomas, medical director of Montgomery County’s health department, stressed the importance of addressing low vaccination rates among school-age children in the county. “Our rates have declined since the pandemic and are lower than both Ohio’s average and the national figures,” Dr. Thomas noted.
Montgomery County accounts for the largest portion of recent pertussis cases in Ohio, even though it doesn’t have the highest population. Approximately 63% of the reported cases are among schoolchildren, with an additional 12% occurring in daycare settings. Often, school nurses are the first to alert health officials to outbreaks, reporting a significant number of children absent due to whooping cough.
Dr. Thomas highlighted that the county has been observing elevated case counts for months, surpassing last year’s figures. “We saw an uptick in cases last fall, but nothing compares to the surge we are experiencing now, which became evident around mid-August as children returned to school,” she explained.
Interestingly, many of those affected reported having received pertussis vaccinations, although it remains uncertain if they were current on their booster shots. A considerable portion of the cases has involved teenagers, who are recommended to receive a booster by age 12.
Regarding the vaccination rates, Dr. Thomas pointed to specific data indicating a decline in the rates of vaccination for the tetanus and whooping cough vaccines among children entering seventh grade. This surge in whooping cough cases coincides with health departments preparing for anticipated rises in COVID-19 and flu infections as the winter approaches.
“Whooping cough isn’t the only respiratory illness we are monitoring. We urge individuals to stay home when feeling unwell, maintain proper hand hygiene, seek medical care if symptoms worsen, and, importantly, ensure they stay vaccinated,” stated Jennifer Wentzel, the commissioner of Montgomery County’s health department.
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