Health officials around the world are concerned about the rise in the number of cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.
During the first two months of 2024, a total of 32,380 cases were recorded in China, compared to the 1,421 cases reported during the same time in 2023, whereas Australia saw a total of 2,799 cases during the first quarter of 2024, South China Morning Post reports.
Many European countries have also witnessed a rise in cases since 2023, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Similarly, whooping cough cases, even in vaccinated people, have been reported in several parts of the U.S., including Montgomery County and San Francisco.
However, according to CDC data, whooping cough cases reported, so far, in the U.S. are still lower than the pre-pandemic levels. Usually, 20,000 cases of whooping cough are logged in the nation every year.
Bacteria Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough, which gets its name from the “whooping” sound made by the patient while coughing. It is an intense cough which lasts for up to 12 weeks, and is sometimes called the “100-day cough”.
The disease is transmitted when the respiratory droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze is caught by a health person. Then, the bacteria attach itself to the throat lining and produces toxins, causing inflammation in airways, coughing fits and breathing problems.
The usual symptoms of whooping cough are runny nose, fever, vomiting, and exhaustion after uncontrollable and sudden coughing spells. Several adults experience complications like broken ribs from coughing, loss of bladder control and fainting.
The disease could be deadly for infants under the age of six months, of whom many develop pneumonia, which sometimes causes death.
Health officials advise that the most effective method of protection against whooping cough is vaccination, followed by proper sanitation and hygiene, which includes covering mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, and washing hands afterwards.
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