Officials Panic As Whooping Cough Outbreak Hits

According to a statement by Suffolk County Health Department, Long Island, New York, has been battered by a whooping cough (pertussis) epidemic, say health experts, and the county’s health department is tracking the cases.

There are over 24 million cases of pertussis globally every year, with 50,000 cases reported in the United States.

Parents and children enrolled in Suffolk’s local school systems comprise the “great majority” of the 108 recorded instances.

The majority of vaccinated patients have reported mild symptoms. There have been no reports of hospitalizations.

Because some patients with pertussis have a violent hacking cough, the condition is often known as “whooping cough.” It is an exceptionally infectious respiratory tract infection.

Although the vaccine may prevent children from serious diseases, the Mayo Clinic reports that the greatest danger is to newborns not yet old enough to get the immunization.

Along with the cough, the first signs of illness include a stuffy nose, red, watery eyes, fever, and congestion in the nasal passages.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition worsens with time and often causes fits of violent, uncontrolled coughing that culminate in a “whooping” sound when the patient takes a deep breath due to mucus accumulation in the airways.

Babies are most vulnerable to the devastating effects of whooping cough, which may include pneumonia, convulsions, difficulty breathing, and even death in extreme cases.
Pregnant women, those with impaired immune systems, and older folks are also more prone to severe symptoms.

The Tdap vaccine, which helps protect infants until they can obtain their vaccines, is also recommended for pregnant women with each pregnancy. Anybody may have a moderate cough and congestion, even after getting the shot.

Antibiotics are the mainstay of pertussis therapy. Doxycycline is given to adults, while azithromycin is given to youngsters.

Proper cleanliness during epidemics, including frequent hand washing and covering coughs with tissues or elbows, is recommended.

It is advised that individuals with a whooping cough diagnosis remain at home until they finish the five-day course of antibiotics, according to health experts from Suffolk County.