Increase in Whooping Cough Cases

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Pertussis (whooping cough) is currently spreading in southern Lorain County. 

Lorain County Public Health is currently monitoring and addressing a local pertussis outbreak in southern Lorain County. This bacterial infection affects the airways and spreads easily through direct contact with respiratory secretions (through coughing and sneezing) from an infected person. Below contains important information and next steps to protect yourself and your family to reduce the spread.

What You Need to Know:

  • Key takeaway: There’s positive pertussis in southern Lorain County. If you or your child has a cough that has not been diagnosed by a provider, stay away from others and call your doctor to ask about testing.

  • Serious risk: Pertussis can be very serious, especially for babies younger than 12 months old, pregnant individuals, and anyone with a weakened immune system or moderate/severe asthma.

  • Symptoms:

    • Early symptoms (usually last 1-2 weeks) often resemble a common cold, including runny nose, low-grade fever, and a mild cough.

    • Later symptoms (begin 1-2 weeks after early symptoms) can progress to severe coughing fits, trouble breathing, vomiting, extreme tiredness, and sometimes a high-pitched "whooping" sound after a coughing fit.

    • Important for babies: Babies and young children may not cough but might have difficulty breathing instead, or even stop breathing for short periods (apnea).

  • How it spreads: Pertussis spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, releasing tiny droplets that can be breathed in. People with pertussis can be contagious for weeks, even with mild symptoms and even if they don't know they're infected. Babies often get pertussis from older siblings, parents, or caregivers who don't realize they have the illness.

  • When to act: If someone in your family is coughing a lot, has difficulty breathing, or develops a severe, persistent cough (especially if it leads to gasping or vomiting), please contact a doctor for advice.

Protecting Your Family:

  • Everyday prevention: Wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home from work or school if you're sick.

  • Vaccination is key: The pertussis vaccine is the best way to help protect against severe illness and needing hospital care. Protection against pertussis from the childhood vaccine, DTaP and Tdap, decreases over time. If you need the DTaP or Tdap vaccine, contact your doctor or Lorain County Public Health at 440-284-3206. Request a vaccine record at bit.ly/vaccinerecordrequest.

    • For adults: The Tdap vaccine is recommended, especially for pregnant women and caregivers of young children.

    • For babies: Infants can receive the DTaP vaccine series starting at 6 weeks old.

    • Lorain County Public Health offers both the Tdap and DTaP vaccines. Call 440-284-3206, or visit LorainCountyHealth.com/vaccines.

  • Talk to a professional: We encourage you to talk to your doctor about how the vaccine can keep your family safe. You can also call Lorain County Public Health at 440-322-6367 and ask to speak to someone in Epidemiology.

caregiver holding a baby as the child severely coughs, face is red.