The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sounding the alarm about a spike in the number of whooping cough cases in the United States. Experts said this is the most amount of reported cases in a decade.
As of mid-December, the CDC had recorded 32,000 cases nationwide. That’s the highest annual number since 2014, according to the CDC.
The 12-week period leading up to mid-December was especially bad. The number of positive cases during that time equaled the total number of cases for the entire year.
Experts attribute the jump to waning vaccine protection, lower vaccination rates and improved testing.
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Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that affects the upper respiratory system. Symptoms include a high-pitched strong cough, a runny nose and a fever.
The disease’s peak time period is the fall or winter. CDC data shows New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Wisconsin have more than 2,000 cases each.
Infants are most vulnerable to contracting whooping cough. Doctors also say they’re seeing more children who are not immunized coming down with the illness.
The CDC recommends children get the vaccine for whooping cough beginning at 2 months old, followed by booster shots when they turn 1 year old and again between the ages of 4 years old and 6 years old.
A different formulation of the shot called the Tdap vaccine, is recommended for preteens and adults every 10 years. Unfortunately, doctors say the vaccine’s effectiveness fades over time.
