Health officials monitor pertussis cases in Upper Michigan

CANTON OF NEGAUNE, Mich. (WLUC) – Public health officials are closely monitoring cases of pertussis or whooping cough in Upper Michigan. Cases have been reported to the Marquette County Health Department as well as to the districts of Dickinson-Iron and Delta-Menominee Health Departments.

Health officials say that whooping cough usually begins with mild symptoms of the upper respiratory tract, such as runny nose and mild cough. It then progresses to a more severe cough, with coughing spasms that can cause vomiting. Young children and especially infants are the most exposed. The disease is also easily transmitted by coughing or sneezing, which is why health officials say that vaccination is the best defense against whooping cough.

"The strategy is, of course, to vaccinate infants on time, at two, four and six months, to receive a booster between four and six years of age, and to receive this other booster between 11 and 12 years of age, to get the maximum benefit of the baby. "This vaccine needs to do it on time," said Kathleen Mell, public health nurse from the Marquette County Health Department. "If you have been exposed to whooping cough, you should talk to your doctor and they will start there, there are very specific guidelines on what to do in this case."

The vaccine has been extremely successful. Before the vaccine was recommended to all infants, about 8,000 people in the United States died of whooping cough each year. This number has now fallen to less than 20 per year.