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Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by bacteria that live in the mouth, nose, and throat of an infected person, the NJDOH said.
Preliminary data show case numbers have tripled as of early August in the U.S., compared to the same time in 2023, which is higher than what was seen at the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic. New Jersey is experiencing a similar increase in pertussis cases, the DOH said.
Pertussis is an endemic disease in the United States (US), with peaks in reported disease every three to five years and frequent outbreaks, the DOH said. Across the United States, the number of pertussis cases were lower than usual over the past few years, during and following the COVID-19 pandemic due to mitigation practices (e.g., good hygiene, distancing, masking).
Pertussis can occur in people of all ages, but is most severe in infants less than one year old. More than half of these infants who get the disease must be hospitalized. The first symptoms are like the common cold such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose, and fever.
However, within two weeks, the cough becomes more serious episodes of coughing spasms followed by a high-pitched "whoop" sound when the person tries to take a breath. Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics and prevented with a vaccine.
Click here for resources on whooping cough from the NJDOH.
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