Case of whooping cough reported at Upper Merion High School in Pennsylvania
Parents in a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, school district were alerted this week to a case of whooping cough, a bacterial infection that has spread at its fastest pace on record in nearly a decade, with the Keystone State being a hotspot.
A spokesperson said the county was notified about the case at Upper Merion High School on Monday.
School administrators were provided with guidance and a letter to send to the school community about symptoms and prevention.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is spread through respiratory droplets. At first, it can appear to be the common cold, but symptoms include a more pronounced cough, coughing fits, vomiting after coughing and coughs that make a high-pitched "whoop" sound, the Montgomery County Office of Public Health said.
The bacteria that causes the infection is called Bordetella pertussis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 23,544 cases among U.S. residents through Nov. 9, 2024. That's the most in a year since 2015, when there were 20,762 cases, according to CDC data.
Ahead of the holidays, case counts for other respiratory conditions are also increasing. According to CBS News HealthWatch, cases of "walking pneumonia" are spiking, with emergency room visit rates among babies surging and now tied with those of older kids.
Doctors said vaccinated people who get infected will have milder symptoms. Babies and pregnant women are most at risk for serious complications from whooping cough.
"The person cannot stop coughing and that's where the problem usually arises from because you know when you start coughing like that, you can't breathe," said Dr. Song Yu, of Urgent Care.
Whooping cough/pertussis cases in Pennsylvania
As of Nov. 9, 2024, the latest CDC data available, there were 2,523 reported cases of whooping cough in Pennsylvania this year — more than any other state.
Pennsylvania had 267 whooping cough cases at that point last year — an over 800% increase.
The state reported 38 new cases for the week ending Nov. 9, with only Ohio reporting more, with 74.
New Jersey doubled its cases this year with 423 compared to 223 last year. There have been 41 whooping cough infections compared to two cases last year in Delaware.
In late 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Health flagged an increase in the infection, primarily among high school students and their peers. In 2024, the department noted cases and outbreaks continued through the summer even though schools were closed.
A New Jersey mother whose 10-year-old daughter caught whooping cough shared her story with CBS News Philadelphia Health reporter Stephanie Stahl this summer.
Juliette Osborne said her daughter, Emmani, who has special needs, "coughed, I want to say from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. ... It was very, very scary."
"The cough is severe. You can get fractured ribs, collapsed lungs, all sorts of complications from it," Dr. Jeffrey Polansky, of Virtua Health, told Stahl.
Polansky said symptoms can be similar to having a cold with the classic cough that develops after two or three weeks.
There is a whooping cough vaccine: the "Tdap" vaccine — which stands for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Officials recommend kids get a single dose at age 11 or 12. Adults who have never received the shot should get one; it's also recommended that adults get a Tdap booster every 10 years.
The vaccine is not 100% effective in preventing whooping cough.
"It is in the community and affects both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals," Polansky said.
