Whooping cough cases are on the rise locally, health officials say

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Health officials are issuing a warning about a rise in pertussis cases in Montgomery County.

There have been 44 cases, including 30 cases occurring in the past three months, according to a spokesperson for Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County. The cases range in age from four months to 70 years.

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By comparison, there were a total of 13 cases in 2022, the spokesperson said.

Pertussis, known as whooping cough, is highly contagious and is marked by a severe ‘hacking’ cough followed by a high-pitched breath in, which sounds like “whoop,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

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Whooping cough is caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. The disease is only found in humans, according to the CDC.

People with whooping cough usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria.

Health officials say vaccination is the best protection against pertussis. There are pertussis vaccines for infants, children, adolescents, and adults.

You can learn more about pertussis here.

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