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Whooping Cough Arrives in Manhattan Beach

Jun 23, 2024 05:49PM ● By Jeanne Fratello

(Stock photo; not the actual patient)

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from L.A. County Department of Public Health in the bottom section.

As whooping cough cases multiply across the country and across California, the disease has now arrived in Manhattan Beach.

A parent of two Manhattan Beach teenagers who have been diagnosed with whooping cough spoke to Manhattan Beach News, on the condition of anonymity to protect their privacy, in the hopes of warning others to be vigilant.

"We went to the doctor on June 18 for other routine follow-up things, but since the kids were coughing, our doctor tested them for COVID, some other bacteria, and whooping cough," the parent told MB News. "My doctor said there were a few whooping cough cases in the Manhattan Beach doctor's office and there are some cases in Manhattan Beach."

The L.A. County contact tracer that the parent spoke with also said that health officials were 'watching some cases in our area.'"

The parent said that the teenagers started showing symptoms two or three days after school got out, and the family is assuming the children got the disease from others in school because they hadn't had any other known contacts.

The parent continued: "Here's the catch: It seems like a regular cold at first, and so people may spread it wildly before they know what it is. I think it is important for our community to know that it is circulating so that they test. Also, if you catch it early, the antibiotics may reduce the symptoms."

What Is Whooping Cough?

Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can spread when a person coughs or sneezes. (Caused by the bacteria called Bordetella pertussis, it is formally known as pertussis.) It affects people of all ages, and can be very serious, even deadly, for infants fewer than 12 months old - especially babies under two months who are too young to get vaccinated.

 

According to the L.A. County Department of Public Health, whooping cough usually starts with cold-like symptoms including a runny nose, congestion, fever, or mild cough. Later, the traditional symptoms of whooping cough appear, which include:
  • Rapid and uncontrolled coughing fits followed by a high-pitched "whoop" when inhaling afterwards
  • Trouble breathing
  • Throwing up (vomiting), especially after coughing fits
  • Feeling very tired after coughing fits
  • Broken ribs (rare)
  • A pause in breathing in babies
  • Turning blue or purple in babies

The coughing fits can last for up to 10 weeks or more. For teens and adults, especially those who were vaccinated, the "whoop" is often not there, and the disease is generally less severe.

There are two vaccines to help protect against whooping cough, and both provide protection against other diseases:

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines
Babies and children younger than 7 years old receive DTaP, while older children and adults receive Tdap. It is recommended for adults to receive a booster dose every 10 years.

(CDC graphic via L.A. County Department of Public Health.)


Whooping Cough Spreading Statewide, Nationwide


According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are more than three times as many whooping cough cases across the country in 2024 than there were at this time in 2023 (6,275 versus 2,113 as of June 15).

In California, there have been more than four times as many cases in 2024 than during this period in 2023 (641 cases versus 150 cases as of June 15).

Regarding Los Angeles County cases, LACDPH released the following statement to MB News on Monday:

Pertussis cases usually rise in a cyclical pattern with peaks every 3-5 years.  In California during 2014, 11,209 cases were reported with 2 infants who tragically died.  With ongoing efforts to increase vaccination, testing and treatment, we haven't experienced these large numbers of cases since. 
 
In Los Angeles County for 2019, we had over 1500 cases reported.  However, since the pandemic, we have had a lower case burden than usual with fewer than 100 cases reported each year. We unfortunately expect to return to a pre-pandemic pattern, with a higher number of cases. To date this year, we have had 120 cases reported (which is more than twice what had been reported at this point last year) and one infant hospitalized.
 
The best ways to prevent serious infection is to get vaccinated. As a reminder, children should  recieve Dtap as part of their regular childhood immunizations. Additionally, adolescents and adults should receive their Tdap booster and all pregnant women would receive their Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy (between gestational weeks 27-36) to protect their newborn infant. Additionally, if you think you have symptoms of pertussis with prolonged paroxymal cough, it is important to wear a medical grade mask,  get tested and receive treatment to prevent further spread.  Please see our website ph.lacounty.gov/pertussis for more details.

Early treatment of pertussis is said to be most effective for reducing symptom severity and contagiousness. Treating the illness early with antibiotics may make the infection less serious and help to prevent spreading the bacteria to others. If you are diagnosed, of course follow the instructions of your doctor, but the general advice is to stay home from work or school until the full course of treatment is completed.

The Manhattan Beach parent said that their one teenager "coughed a lot the first couple of days of the cold, but it seemed like post nasal drip and then it subsided a little and seemed like it was getting better."  Then they started coughing more - a "juicy" cough that lasted a bit longer. The second teenager seemed to have "just a run-of-the-mill cold" with an occasionally juicy cough. 

"We caught them both early thanks to the quick thinking and awareness of their pediatrician," said the parent. "Thank goodness we know that it's whooping cough and they started antibiotics."



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