Whooping cough cases in Wisconsin 12x higher than last year, Minnesota cases also surging

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is urging residents to get vaccinated for pertussis, more commonly known as whopping cough, amid a surge of cases in the state.

DHS says whooping cough levels in Wisconsin are more than twelve times higher than in 2023. The spike marks levels not seen since before the pandemic.

Wisconsin has recorded 625 confirmed cases of pertussis in 2024 so far. Of these cases, DHS says that Wisconsinites between the ages of 11 to 18 make up about half of the cases. By comparison, Wisconsin only recorded a total of 51 cases in 2023.

The state says that two-thirds of Wisconsin counties have recorded at least one case.

Six infants have been hospitalized, but no one has died from the disease, according to DHS.

DHS is asking residents to make sure they are up-to-date on their pertussis vaccine to help protect against severe symptoms of the disease and to avoid spreading it to others.

According to data tracked by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), cases are also soaring in the state compared to 2023.

As of Sept. 12, 2024, Minnesota had recorded 706 cases of whooping cough, more than 11 times higher than in 2023, when 61 cases were tracked for the whole year.

The huge bump in cases in Wisconsin and Minnesota is mimicking the same national trend. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the disease is on the rise across the U.S., and cases are returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The CDC said that as of June 1, 2024, more than twice as many cases have been reported for the first six months of the year as the same period in 2023, adding that the number of cases in 2024 is similar to the same time in 2019.

Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory disease easily spread by coughing or sneezing. Symptoms can vary from person to person but can involve the person having coughing fits, and symptoms can last for weeks or months.

The CDC says the best way to prevent getting whooping cough is to be vaccinated and to get a booster vaccine every 10 years for the best protection. The vaccine also protects against tetanus.