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The Suffolk County Health Department said most of the 108 currently reported cases of pertussis, as it’s formally known, are school-aged children and their parents.
Most of those who have contracted the infection are vaccinated and experienced milder symptoms.
The county is unaware of any hospitalizations due to this pertussis outbreak.
"With so many respiratory illnesses currently circulating, some for which there are no treatment, we wanted to make sure that parents know that pertussis, also called whooping cough, can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early," said Suffolk County Health Commissioner Gregson Pigott.
"Whooping cough can be very serious for infants too young to be vaccinated, which is why we are alerting both medical providers and the public that this illness is circulating."
Pertussis is a respiratory tract infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It is highly contagious and spreads through the air when infected individuals cough or sneeze.
The most common symptoms are coughing, nasal congestion, and fever. Coughing can worsen and last several weeks.
Unvaccinated infants are the most likely to experience severe disease or complications, including trouble breathing, pneumonia, convulsions, disease affecting the brain, and death.
Health officials said the best way to prevent or lessen severe illness is through vaccination.
Those diagnosed with pertussis are advised to stay home until they have completed five days of antibiotic treatment.
The CDC recommends the following tips to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
- Put used tissue in the trash
- Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands, if you don’t have a tissue
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available
Find more information on pertussis on the CDC’s website.
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