GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Cases of whooping cough are increasing in Michigan and the health department is urging people to get vaccinated.
As of Oct. 28, 830 confirmed or probable cases have been reported to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. That’s up from Oct. 5, when 473 cases had been recorded in Michigan. Between 2017 and 2019, Michigan averaged 596 cases of whooping cough, which is also known as pertussis.
Pertussis is an endemic disease that tends to peak every few years. Outbreaks are most commonly found in schools and childcare centers, hospitals and in large cities.
It’s not just Michigan — nationally, more than five times as many cases have been reported this year as of Oct. 26 compared to the same time in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of pertussis can look like the common cold in their early stages, but patients eventually develop a telltale “whooping” gasp as the patient finishes a coughing fit. The coughing fits can linger from one to six weeks, and in some cases up to 10 weeks. Babies and young children may not cough but instead have pauses in their breathing which can make their skin look blueish or cause them to be out of breath, according to MDHHS.
Getting vaccinated is recommended by the health department.
“Vaccinations continue to be our top line of defense against the spread of pertussis,” wrote Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive, in an MDHHS news release. “With a declining rate of immunizations, we are unfortunately seeing a rise in pertussis and other vaccine-preventable diseases statewide. We encourage all Michiganders to stay up to date with their immunization schedule.”
The CDC recommends adults get a booster every 10 years. Vaccinated patients are less likely to be infected, but protection does wane over time, so patients won’t be fully immune. Vaccinated patients do, however, tend to have less severe symptoms and recover faster.
More information about whooping cough can be found at the CDC website.
— News 8’s Matt Jaworowski contributed to this report.