BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Health confirms more than triple the amount of whooping cough cases so far this year compared to 2023.
The state has issued a health advisory on pertussis to health care providers.
Seventy-three cases have been reported across 11 counties. Four infants have been hospitalized.
Whooping cough symptoms can last up to two weeks and include a runny or stuffy nose, a fever up to one hundred degrees and problems breathing. Before getting the disease, people can get coughing fits that cause a high pitched whoop sound.
“Pertussis is a major threat to our community,” North Dakota HHS Immunization Surveillance Coordinator Danni Pinnick said. “Vaccination, especially for pregnant individuals, is the best way to prevent severe illness.”
