Whooping cough, or pertussis, continues to spread in Dane County and Wisconsin, which have seen more cases this year than annually in more than a decade.
The Madison School District this week told West High School parents that students with possible exposure to the bacterial disease should be monitored for symptoms and those who test positive for pertussis should stay home.
The United States is returning to pertussis patterns like those before the COVID-19 pandemic, likely because of reduced masking and social distancing, with a five-fold surge this year compared to last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dane County has had 252 cases of pertussis this year, up from a total of 142 a month ago, with most of the recent cases seen in high school-aged residents, said Morgan Finke, spokesperson for Public Health Madison and Dane County.
People are also reading…
That is the most pertussis the county has had since 2012, when there were 302 cases.
Wisconsin’s total is now 1,596, up from 994 a month ago. That is also the highest since 2012, when the state had 4,685 cases.
Students who receive messages of potential pertussis exposure, based on contact with someone who tested positive, should be monitored for symptoms, Sarah Breon, director of health services for the Madison School District, said in an email to the West High School community Wednesday.
Students who become ill should stay home and contact their medical provider for testing, Breon said, and those who test positive should stay home and away from others while contagious. Antibiotic treatment typically lasts about five days, she said.
Symptoms of whooping cough typically start five to 10 days after exposure but can take up to 21 days to develop. After a slight fever and cough, the cough gets worse and symptoms such as vomiting and difficulty breathing may begin. Some people have a “whoop” sound when they cough.
Health officials urge people to make sure they’re vaccinated against pertussis, recommending that young children get the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, or DTaP, vaccine. Five doses are recommended before age 7.
Adolescents and adults are recommended to get the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, or Tdap, vaccine. It is recommended at ages 11 or 12. Health officials suggest pregnant women get the vaccine during each pregnancy and caregivers of babies be sure they’re up to date.
People unsure of their vaccination status can check the Wisconsin Immunization Registry.
