Cases of whooping cough on the rise in several NC counties

Cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, are on the rise in several counties in North Carolina. There are two in Durham County, seven in Orange and one in Chatham. Now health officials across the heart of Carolina are warning everyone, especially children to watch out.

The seven Estes Hills students with pertussis are in four different classes, and one bus route. While a letter went home with every student, those who’ve been in close contact with the infected seven are being told to ask their doctor for antibiotics.

Judy Butler, of Orange County Community Health Services said, “We haven’t had any deaths but infants can die from this and the elderly if they have other health problems.”

She said whooping cough is a bacteria that spreads in respiratory droplets from sneezes and coughs. The CDC’s website shows a child with an extreme case that led to broken blood vessels and bruised eyes from the coughing. In what may be considered graphic video on the website YouTube, you can see and hear how troubling the cough is for youngsters.

Butler said the affected families in Chapel Hill are taking the outbreak seriously. “They’re concerned about holiday travel. We got at least one family that will not be going to visit their grandparents because they don’t want to put them at risk because the child was diagnosed and not on antibiotics long enough not to be infectious,” she said.

Other parents in the area are concerned too. “Lately they’ve been having runny noses which is typical around this time. But I’m also listening for more coughing, not just the typical cough, something that sounds like whooping cough,” said Gabriela Perez.

Experts say the best prevention is the d-tap vaccine that babies and kindergarteners get, and that’s now required by law for rising 6th graders.