Michigan Whooping Cough Cases Soar 13X Over 2023

Detroit’s ABC affiliate reports:

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has seen over 1,500 cases of whooping cough this year. That’s more than 13 times what they saw in 2023, when the state saw 110 cases.

“Pertussis cases in general are up across the country,” said Ryan Malosh, director of the Division of Immunizations at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Malosh said two-thirds of whooping cough patients either never had the vaccine or haven’t received it in the past five years.

The Detroit News reports: 

“This trend mirrors things that we’re seeing nationally,” Malosh said during a Zoom roundtable on Thursday. Pertussis often begins with cold-like symptoms and can take five to 10 days, or longer, to appear after exposure.

In babies and young children, symptoms may include pauses in breathing instead of coughing, which is called apnea and can cause a bluish skin tone or shortness of breath, according to MDHHS.

As the illness progresses, it leads to severe coughing fits. Pertussis is especially dangerous for infants under 1, who face higher risks of complications like pneumonia, brain damage and death.

Via Google’s AI bot: “For children under 7 years old, DTaP protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. The CDC recommends that children receive five doses of DTaP, usually at the following ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15–18 months, and 4–6 years.”

Whooping cough cases skyrocket in Michigan, as vaccinations decline https://t.co/mDoRQJ2Ix5

— Bridge Michigan (@BridgeMichigan) December 13, 2024