Michigan – Health experts in Michigan are concerned about the startling increase in whooping cough cases in the state. Data shows that, as of December 8 this year, 1,678 confirmed cases of pertussis, commonly referred to as whooping cough, significantly rise from just 110 cases recorded in 2023.
The disease, which witnessed lowered incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic most likely due to improved hygiene practices including mask-wearing and social distancing, is seeing a notable comeback this year. Still, the numbers are more than triple the average yearly incidence recorded between 2017 and 2019, before the pandemic began.
Given pertussis can start with symptoms like a light cold but can develop to severe coughing fits spanning weeks or even months, the increase in cases, the greatest since 2010, is very alarming. Especially in babies, this respiratory condition is well known for having a deadly tendency. Health statistics show that over half of the newborns who get the illness need to be hospitalized.
In a news conference from earlier this month, Ryan Malosh, Director of Immunization at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, underlined the seriousness of the matter.
“As Michigan faces a record number of pertussis cases, it’s more important than ever for parents, caregivers and communities to prioritize vaccination,” Malosh stated. He highlighted that whooping cough is a serious, preventable disease that can have devastating effects, especially on babies too young to be fully vaccinated.
A drop in immunization rates helps to explain some of the rising whooping cough instances. As of October this year, current data reveals that 73% of children between 19 to 35 months had received the advised four doses of the DTaP vaccination (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis). This is down 3% from January 2020. Since the pandemic started, school waivers for the vaccination have also nearly doubled; 6.2% of Michigan kindergarten students had a waiver in 2023, up from 3.2% in 2020.
Common hotspots for outbreaks are schools, daycare facilities, and hospitals; school-age children between the ages of 5 and 17 suffer the most. Of the total cases this year, over half fell within this age range. Moreover, 66% of all instances involved people who had either not gotten a vaccination in the past five years or more or were unvaccinated.
For infants, children, adolescents, pregnant women, and adults who have not had a dose in their adolescent or adult years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highly advise the pertussis vaccination. While newborns and small children are unlikely to have classic coughing symptoms, they may have pauses in breathing that can result in a bluish skin tone or cause shortness of breath. Pertussis might take five to ten days for symptoms to manifest following exposure.
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The surge in pertussis cases in Michigan is a stark reminder of the importance of vaccinations in preventing the spread of this potentially deadly disease. Health officials, however, urge communities to keep up immunization campaigns in order to safeguard the most vulnerable—especially young children and babies.