NMHealth, formerly the Department of Health, announced last month whooping cough has struck twice as many people in New Mexico than it did last year at the same time. It’s even worse at a national level, with five times as many cases across the country.
Marla Sievers, an infectious disease epidemiologist with NM Health, said whooping cough, also known as pertussis, typically goes through periods of waxing and waning case numbers, which is one reason for this recent uptick. But she points out that in the last few years people are being less cautious about respiratory illnesses than they used to be.
“So like many respiratory infections during the pandemic, when people were taking a lot of precautions, like wearing masks and reducing time indoors, we saw all respiratory infections decrease,” she said. “Many of them have come back up to those pre -andemic levels, including pertussis.
She said the best protection is ensuring vaccinations are up to date. Children receive a series of pertussis vaccines during early childhood, she said, and then a booster as a pre-teen. Adults are recommended to receive at least one pertussis-containing vaccine during their adulthood.
Pertussis gets its nickname from a “whooping” noise made by sufferers as they breathe in after the typical violent coughing attacks for which the illness is known for.
The coughing can be so violent as to cause broken ribs, ernias, seizures, swelling in the brain, and even death, according to NM Health.
“Pertussis is treatable with antibiotics,” she said. “Antibiotics will not only help the sick person recover, but will help prevent transmission to other folks along with other measures like good hand washing and cough etiquette, so covering your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze will help prevent transmission.”
Sievers says vaccines for children and uninsured folks are available through the state’s public health offices. For more information, or assistance finding a vaccine provider, call the nurse helpline at 1-833-796-8773.
