Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:

This poor kid is Wikipedia’s Face of Pertussis.Image: Centers for Disease Control.

Local public health officials are stressing the importance of getting vaccinated for pertussis and flu after seeing a recent increase in cases.

Since November 2024, 30 cases of pertussis have been diagnosed locally in people between ages 3 and 70 years old, with most occurring in people 16 and younger.

The highly contagious respiratory illness, also known as whooping cough, typically begins with cold-like symptoms and sometimes a mild cough or fever before progressing to severe coughing fits which can include uncontrollable, violent coughing and can make it difficult to breathe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Babies with pertussis may not cough, but may gag and gasp instead, as well as have a symptom known as “apnea,” which is a pause in their breathing pattern.

The whooping cough vaccine, known as DTaP, is a combination vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. The three-dose series can be given to babies at 2, 4 and 6 months old with two booster doses at 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years old.

According to the CDC, pertussis is a cyclical bacterial infection that peaks every three to five years. Immunity, whether from getting the vaccine or from having the disease, typically wears off within five years, leaving previously immune children susceptible again by adolescence.

A booster shot is recommended for anyone over 11 years old who has not yet received one.

The illness can be especially dangerous for infants and young children and pregnant people are encouraged to get vaccinated during pregnancy, so they can pass on antibodies which help protect infants from pertussis until they are old enough to be vaccinated.

Locally, 14 cases were reported in 2024 (eight of which were in the last two months of the year), and only one was reported in 2023. The last local outbreak was in 2019, where Humboldt County saw 12 cases (including confirmed, suspected and probable cases).

Additionally, local hospitals are noting an uptick in people coming into the emergency department with the flu. In the past 10 days, they’re reporting 20 to 30 cases a day. Health officials are encouraging people to get their flu vaccine if they haven’t yet.

For additional information about pertussis, visit the California Department of Public Health website, talk to your medical provider or phone the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Communicable Disease Program at 707-268-2182. To make an appointment for a vaccine, contact your health care provider or call the Public Health Clinic at 707-268-2108.