Washington is seeing a massive spike in whooping cough cases, especially in the Puget Sound.
The Washington State Health Department is warning people about pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough.
As of November 2nd, 1,193 cases have been reported statewide, a sharp increase from the 51 cases reported at the same time last year, according to the state’s data.
More than 30 counties across Washington are impacted by this, including western Washington.
Pierce County saw 82 cases, while 151 cases were reported in King County.
Snohomish County experienced 60 cases, while Thurston County is dealing with 14.
More than 80% of statewide cases involved children.
So far, 28 people have been sent to the hospital because of whooping cough, including 12 infants.
“It is very concerning because this is a resurgence of pertussis after the pandemic,” said Dr. James Lewis, a health officer with the Snohomish County Health Department. “I think we’re already in an epidemic.
Whooping cough is a potentially serious illness caused by bacterial infection. The illness is highly contagious and can be deadly for younger children, especially for infants who cannot receive their full vaccinations yet.
Dr. Lewis said the number of cases reported in the first week of November in Snohomish County has already surpassed October’s total count.
More than 75% of the county’s cases involved children, as of Friday, Lewis added.
Most infants receive a series of vaccinations to protect themselves beginning at two months old.
Many often receive an additional booster shot at 11 years old, Lewis added.
The doctor believes vaccine hesitancy is a reason behind the recent spike, especially in younger children.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re starting to see the impact of waning immunization uptake in pertussis,” he shared. “I will be surprised if we don’t see an increase in pertussis transmission over the winter. We’re already seeing that here in Snohomish County with the cold weather kicking in.”
As the temperatures begin to drop, more people will begin to stay indoors, which will increase the likelihood that the illness will spread, he shared.
Lewis said safety measures around viruses and illnesses have become more relaxed since the pandemic, which is also influencing the recent surge, Lewis said.
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