Whooping Cough Cases on the Rise

Whooping Cough, also known as Pertussis is slowly climbing in numbers for the first time since the 1940’s. The National Institute of Healthsent out a message this week, urging and reminding parents to get their children vaccinated and keep them up-to-date on their boosters. The increase in cases is due in-part to parents reducing their use of the pertussis vaccine boosters. The increase in infection is being seen all over the country. One state seeing higher than normal numbers is California, which is currently trying to introduce a bill that would require students to have their booster in order to enter the 7th grade.


Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that causes symptoms similar to that of a cold, but later leads to coughing-wheezing “attacks.” It mainly infects children, though it can infect adults, even those that are vaccinated against the illness. Children can stay protected and current if they receive their Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus (DPT) vaccines and boosters on time.

For more information on Pertussis Click Here

For more information on vaccine guidelines and recommendation, visit the Centers for Disease Control Vaccine Schedule page Here