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

Most people think of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, as a disease from the past. Unfortunately, it is still a problem and tends to flare up every three to seven years in communities. Right now, staff from the Public Health Branch of the Department of Health & Human Services is tracking cases of pertussis in Humboldt County that may be the beginning of a spike.

People who spent time at any of the following locations during the month of June, may have been exposed:

  • North Coast Nurture Center, 1807 Central Ave., McKinleyville
  • Trumpet Behavioral Health, 901 O St., Suite C, Arcata
  • Rainbow Dreamers in-home daycare in Fortuna 
  • Humboldt Senior Resource Center (Fortuna location), 3200 Newburg Road

If you were at the sites listed above, and develop mild cold symptoms, Public Health officials advise contacting your medical provider and letting them know. Depending on when you were at the site and when your symptoms developed, you might need antibiotics. 

Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Candy Stockton said, “Early diagnosis and treatment with appropriate antibiotics can reduce the spread of infection, and antibiotics are most effective when started early in the illness.”

Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection that spreads through tiny respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or even talks. Because symptoms often begin like a common cold, many people don’t realize they have pertussis until they have already exposed others.

After a week or two of mild symptoms, the illness can progress to severe coughing fits that may last for weeks or even months. These coughing spells can be so intense that they cause vomiting, rib fractures, exhaustion and difficulty breathing. 

The characteristic “whoop” sound after coughing is more common in children, many adolescents and adults never develop it, making the disease more difficult to recognize. Vaccines including Tdap (for adults) and DTaP (for children), reduce the risk of getting whopping cough if you are exposed and reduce the risk of getting seriously ill if you do become infected. It’s important to remember that immunity from both vaccination and previous infection decreases over time. This means adults can become infected again, often with milder symptoms, and unknowingly spread the disease to vulnerable infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. 

Staying up to date on recommended boosters is an important part of protecting those around us.

While pertussis can affect people of any age, it is especially dangerous for infants younger than 12 months. Babies are at the highest risk for complications because their immune systems are still developing, and many have not yet completed their primary vaccination series. Serious complications can include pneumonia, seizures, brain injury due to lack of oxygen and in extreme cases even death. Many infants who contract pertussis require hospitalization for supportive care.

For additional information about pertussis and where to get vaccinated, visit the California Department of Public Health website, talk to your medical provider or phone Humboldt County Public Health’s Communicable Disease Program at 707-268-2182.