This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
There've been 26 confirmed cases of whooping cough so far this year, and roughly two-thirds of those have been in Fremont County. That’s according to the Wyoming Department of Health.
Wyoming logged 148 cases last year, which was the highest count in over 70 years. The department said actual case numbers are likely higher because people might not recognize the symptoms or report their illness.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can be especially harmful to infants. The illness typically starts off like a common cold with a mild cough. But after a week or two, that mild cough becomes persistent, violent and potentially deadly for babies.
About one in three babies who are less than a year old need to get treatment at a hospital when they develop whooping cough, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Pertussis in the youngest babies can cause them to have pauses in breathing,” said state health officer Dr. Alexia Harrist with the Wyoming Department of Health. “Infants are simply more vulnerable and don’t yet have all the protection pertussis vaccines offer.”
“If you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, you should talk to your doctor about a Tdap vaccine because that can also help protect newborns,” she added.
Harrist also shared that the Tdap adolescent/adult booster vaccine for whooping cough is especially important for people spending time with new infants. She recommended that all Wyoming residents stay up to date on their whooping cough vaccine, as symptoms will likely be less severe if one does catch the illness.
If you do develop whooping cough symptoms, visit a medical professional to get antibiotics to reduce the impact of the illness.
