Whooping cough in Tri-Cities area and spreading in Eastern WA. What you need to know

Washington state has seen a sharp increase in whooping cough cases this year, and the infection is spreading in Eastern Washington.

Benton County currently has two confirmed cases, Walla Walla County currently has one confirmed adult case, and Grant County has had 21 confirmed cases and seven suspected cases since June, according to the three health departments.

Public health officials in Grant County said there likely are more cases that have not been reported.

Across Washington state 555 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have been reported this year as of Aug. 10, up from 37 at this time last year.

Public health officials are recommending that residents make sure they and their families are up to date on whooping cough vaccinations.

“Pertussis can be a deadly infection, especially for vulnerable populations such as babies,” said Heather Hill, a registered nurse and deputy to the health officer for the Benton Franklin Health District.

The Benton Franklin Health District alerted doctors and other health care providers Friday to watch for whooping cough cases in the greater Tri-Cities area. It is not calling it an outbreak at this point.

Eastern WA cases

The two confirmed cases in Benton County are in people who have not traveled outside the area, indicating that local transmission may be occurring. The person in Walla Walla with whooping cough also has not traveled outside of the area recently.

The Washington state Department of Health also reported one to two cases in Franklin County this summer.

Grant County had not had a whooping cough case since 2019 until this summer, said the Grant County Health District.

Its seven suspected case this summer are people with symptoms and links to at least one of the 21 people with confirmed cases, for a total of 28 possible cases.

Most, if not all, of the 28 cases are in people who had not been vaccinated or were not up to date on their whooping cough vaccination.

At least 23 of the 28 cases were in people 16 or younger, and 22 cases can be linked to Slavic churches in the county, according to the Grant County Health District.

Whooping cough poses the highest risk to babies up to 12 months of age; pregnant people, especially those in the third trimester; and people with chronic respiratory illnesses, according to the Grant County Health District.

The Benton Franklin Health District warned that childcare workers and family members, including mothers who have recently given birth, can transmit the infection to infants.

One in three infants with whooping cough require hospital care, it said.

Watch for whooping cough symptoms

Whooping cough is highly contagious and can spread easily through droplets from coughing or sneezing.

Early symptoms can resemble a common cold, such as a congested or runny nose, low grade fever and a mild, occasional cough, according to the Walla Walla Health District.

As the infection progresses, more serious symptoms may develop.

Babies may not cough at all, but experience difficulty breathing or apnea.

Children, teenagers and adults can have sudden, intense and uncontrollable coughing spells that may be followed by a “whoop.” The symptoms can last for several weeks.

Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, which should be started as soon as possible to prevent the spread of the disease and to make the infection shorter and less severe, according to the Grant County Health district.

Some people who have been exposed to whooping cough may benefit from antibiotics to prevent them from getting sick.

Vaccinations are the most effective way to prevent pertussis infection, according to the Benton Franklin Health District and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccinated people can still contract pertussis but usually have milder symptoms.

Vaccinations are available for infants as young as 2 months. People who were vaccinated as teenagers do not need an additional dose as an adult, unless they are pregnant. Vaccination is recommended for each pregnancy. Any adult who has never been vaccinated should get the vaccine, according to the CDC.

Adults and children with symptoms should contact their healthcare provider, and immediate medical attention is required for breathing difficulties, according to the Tri-Cities based health district.