Clark County Health Department Seeing Pertussis Cases

Monday, March 28th, 2022 -- 5:01 PM

The Clark County Health Department has had multiple confirmed cases of Pertussis, or whooping cough, in Clark County.

Pertussis is a contagious respiratory illness that is spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing. At first, a person may feel like they have a cold with a runny nose, low-grade fever, and a slight cough.

After about a week, the person can start to have violent and dry coughing fits that can last a minute or longer. These fits can make it hard to breathe, and a person may need to take a deep breath, which causes a "whooping" sound.

Sometimes the coughing fits lead to vomiting. This disease is most serious in babies, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. According to the CDC, "About half of babies younger than 1 year old who get pertussis need care in the hospital."

The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated. To learn more about pertussis, visit the links to go to the Department of Health Service’s website https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p0/p00688.pdf or the CDC’s website https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/index.html.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.