NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – Cases of whooping cough have spiked this year in New York City, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Whooping cough cases are up 169% so far this year as compared to 2023, according to CDC data. The city has reported 427 cases in 2024, a jump from 159 cases in the same period last year.
The entire state of New York has seen an even bigger spike, with cases up over 300% so far this year, CDC data show. New Jersey saw a far less dramatic increase, jumping only to 128 cases this year compared to 110 last year.
In total, the country has logged over 11,000 cases of whooping cough in 2024, compared to just over 3,000 in 2023.
Whooping cough is highly contagious and can cause coughs that last weeks or months. It can cause a runny nose, low-grade fever, exhaustion, coughing fits that empty the lungs and vomiting.
Students at New York City Public Schools are required to have a pertussis, or whooping cough, vaccine for elementary school and a booster for middle and high school.
Adults are also recommended to get vaccinated, especially if they interact with infants under 1 year old, according to the city’s Department of Health.
