Whooping cough symptoms: Doctor issues warning as whooping cough cases rise in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

LUMBERTON, New Jersey (WPVI) — During the pandemic, with so many restrictions in place, respiratory illnesses like influenza and whooping cough have decreased significantly.

Cases have now returned to pre-pandemic levels.

As kids head back to school, doctors want parents to be aware.

Juliette Osborne of Lumberton knows her 10-year-old daughter, Emmani, well. Although she suffers from several chronic illnesses, the symptoms she began experiencing in July were unusual.

“She had whooping cough at night, from 4 to 8 in the morning. She stopped eating. She was extremely tired,” Osborne said.

They ended up in the emergency room and were surprised when the test results came back.

“Two days later, almost midnight, I was shocked to learn she had whooping cough,” Osborne said.

Whooping cough is known to many as a convulsive cough.

Osborne says because Emmani is vaccinated, her symptoms were not severe.

But she is not alone.

According to the CDC, whooping cough cases are returning to pre-pandemic levels because many people are not taking as many precautions.

“In August 2024 – this year – we see three times as many cases of whooping cough as in August 2023,” said Dr. Alfred Sacchetti of Virtua Health.

According to CDC data, 1,666 cases have been reported in Pennsylvania through August 17, 2024. In New Jersey, there have been 128 during the same period.

Sacchetti says whooping cough is highly contagious and can be especially dangerous for babies and young children.

“Children have coughing fits and can’t catch their breath. When they finally get over that coughing fit, their next breath is a big ‘whoop’ sound, hence the name,” he said.

Doctors encourage children and adults to get vaccinated.

Adults should get a booster every 10 years.

As the new school year approaches, Dr. Sacchetti also reminds us that actions like washing your hands and not coughing on others can go a long way in preventing the spread of germs.

What are the symptoms?

According to the CDC, symptoms usually appear 5 to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria that causes whooping cough. Sometimes, symptoms don’t appear for up to 3 weeks.

At first, whooping cough feels like a cold. Early symptoms can last 1 to 2 weeks and typically include a runny or stuffy nose, a mild fever, and an occasional mild cough.

Many babies with whooping cough do not cough at all. Instead, they may have apnea (life-threatening pauses in breathing). Apnea can cause cyanosis (blueness) or difficulty breathing.

For some babies, whooping cough may feel like a common cold for the entire duration of the illness, not just at first.

One to two weeks after the first symptoms appear, coughing fits may occur. These coughing fits usually last 1 to 6 weeks, but can last up to 10 weeks.

Babies and children who have not received all of the recommended vaccines against whooping cough are more likely to have serious complications. Teens and adults may also have complications, such as pneumonia.

To learn more about whooping cough, visit cdc.gov/pertussis/