Whooping Cough Cases On The Rise In San Diego County

Health & Fitness

Whooping Cough Cases On The Rise In San Diego County County public health officials reported a notable increase in cases this year over recent years.

SAN DIEGO, CA — The number of pertussis cases, also known as whooping cough, are on the rise in San Diego County.

County public health officials reported a notable increase in cases this year over recent years. Since the beginning of 2024, there have been 547 cases reported in the county to compared to 332 cases in 2023. The ages of those who have been sick range from newborns to 85 years old, while the majority have been between 11 to 17 years old.

There have been no pertussis deaths reported in the county since 2016, and no deaths reported in California since 2019.

The last reported whooping cough death in the county was a 5-week-old infant who died in 2016.

"Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, pertussis activity continues to increase, and we are seeing an upswing in cases that on track to returning to pre-pandemic numbers," said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, interim county public health officer. "We are working with local health care professionals and educators to stress the need for everyone to be up to date with their vaccinations."

Kadakia said it's especially important for pregnant women and people who come into close contact with infants to get vaccinated. Newborns are highly susceptible to whooping cough because they are too young to be fully vaccinated.

A typical case of pertussis starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound . Fever, if present, is usually mild. Antibiotics can lessen the severity of symptoms and prevent the spread of disease to others, but vaccination is effective at reducing severe complications.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following vaccination schedule:

Young children need five doses of the vaccination known as DTaP by kindergarten: at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years.

All students entering seventh grade need proof of a whooping cough booster immunization known as Tdap.

A Tdap booster is recommended for pregnant women during the 27th through 36th week of each pregnancy, preferable during the earlier part of this time period.

One dose of Tdap is recommended for adults 19 years of age and older who did not get Tdap as an adolescent.

Parents can obtain the DTaP vaccine series and the Tdap booster shot for their children and themselves through their primary care physicians Local retail pharmacies offer vaccinations for a fee, and anyone who is not covered by a medical insurance plan can get the shot from a county public health center at minimal or no cost.