Anne Arundel County schools warn parents about rise in whooping cough cases

BALTIMORE -- Anne Arundel County Public Schools are warning parents about a rise in whooping cough cases. The district has identified three cases since Sept. 10.

The highly contagious respiratory illness is spread from person to person through the air. According to the CDC, the number of reported whooping cough cases, or pertussis, is four times higher this year than it was 2023. Health officials say whooping cough can be life-threatening.

Some of the symptoms include low fever, runny nose, a cough that is mild at first but worsens at night, plus vomiting after coughing.

Dr. Esther Liu, from the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, says whooping cough is preventable with vaccines.

"Whooping cough, we know because it is so contagious, you are actually increasing the number of people who are exposed and then get sick from it," Liu said. "Anything you get an increased number of people who are sick from an illness, you increase the risk of complications from that illness, so I think that is one of the biggest dangers of pertussis."