Public Health Madison & Dane County warn of rising whooping cough cases

MADISON, Wis. -- Public Health Madison & Dane County is alerting the community about an outbreak of a whooping cough.

PHMDC said in the last eight weeks there have been 43 cases in Dany County, primarily affecting teenagers.

"Vaccines have made cases of pertussis rare, in fact we go many months out of the year without a single case, so to see these kinds of numbers is significant and we are urging the community to take this increase seriously," said Amanda Kita-Yarbro Epidemiologist for Public Health Madison & Dane County.

Pertussis is a persistent cough illness. It is a respiratory caused by bacteria and spreads easily.

PHMDC said anyone at any age can get it, but it can be particularly serious and even deadly to infants and people with a compromised immune system.

Public Health recommends several steps to prevent the spread of pertussis

• Check vaccination status: Make sure you and your children are up-to-date with the DTaP vaccine (for children) and Tdap vaccine (for adolescents). If you were vaccinated in Wisconsin, you can check vaccination on the Wisconsin Immunization Registry.
• If you think you or your child have been exposed or have pertussis symptoms talk to your healthcare provider right away
• Practice good hygiene: Stay at home if you are sick. When coughing, cover your mouth with a tissue or cough into your sleeve. Wash your hands often.

If you aren't up to date on your immunizations, make an appointment with your medical provider or a local pharmacy. Public Health provides free vaccinations

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