ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough, is on the rise across southwest Virginia. The Virginia Department of Health in Roanoke City and the Alleghany districts say they usually see around three to four cases of whooping cough a year, but since January of 2024, its case number is at over 30.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease caused by bacteria in the nose and throat and spread through sneezing or coughing, the health department says there isn’t a specific age group or area that is showing a higher number of infections, they say it’s all over the board, and with this rise in numbers, the health department worries about one vulnerable group:
“We’re most concerned about babies, very young children, before they can get fully immunized. It takes a few doses for them to become fully immunized. And so when they’re very young, under the age of one, they can be hospitalized if they get pertussis. So it’s very dangerous for them,” said Christie Wills, communication officer for the Roanoke city and the Allegheny health districts.” So we always want to see people take advantage of getting their vaccinations to help protect the most vulnerable.”
The health department isn’t sure why cases are rising. One reason they believe the uptick is happening now, is people are still catching up on post-pandemic vaccines. The health department says they worry case numbers may be higher than reported because some may think it’s the flu or Covid-19.
The biggest way you can tell a difference is the sound your cough will make, it’s where the disease gets its name.
“It’s very, very contagious. Sometimes pertussis starts off more like a cold, maybe something routine. But over time, in a few weeks, it can really ramp up and get very deeply embedded in the lungs and cause a very severe cough,” said Wills.
The health department advises to stay home if you’re sick and continue to keep up to date on your vaccines.