Whooping cough cases triple in Alabama amid national spike
Touro University medical student Shamis Fallah prepares paperwork before adminstering a Tdap vaccination during the Solano County health fair August 11, 2010 in Vallejo, California. Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris Thursday warned of a threefold rise in whooping cough cases, part of a national increase in respiratory diseases post-COVID. (Justin Sullivan/)
Alabama's state health officer Thursday expressed concern about a significant rise in whooping cough (pertussis) cases.
Dr. Scott Harris said the state has reported three times as many cases this year compared to the same period in 2023. Alabama's numbers are in line with a broader increase in respiratory diseases in the nation following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rates of respiratory diseases, such as the flu, declined significantly when people took extra precautions, such as wearing masks and social distancing. But Harris said current rates are slightly higher than pre-COVID.
"This is a little bit higher, a little faster to get to this point, compared to where we were in 2019 and 2020, so these numbers are going up and going up very quickly," Harris said.
As of Tuesday, there had been 123 cases in Alabama, a 300% increase from the same time in 2023, when the state recorded 41 cases. Nationwide, preliminary numbers from October 5 indicate cases are five times higher than in 2023 and also higher than what was recorded pre-pandemic.
Harris acknowledged some vaccine hesitancy. State data indicate a decline in up-to-date DTaP vaccine, which protects children under six against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, from 77.6% up to date in 2020 to 69.1% in 2024. These vaccines must be administered five times for a young child: at two months, four months, six months, 15–18 months, and 4–6 years. Harris said that data may not be complete as many vaccinations are not reported due to a lack of requirements.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease that begins with cold-like symptoms but can lead to prolonged coughing fits, lasting weeks or months.
Infants and people with certain medical conditions are at higher risk for severe complications.
"Kids just have little, tiny airways. So physically, their airways are small and easy to get obstructed. And children die from that," Harris said.
