Cases of whooping cough on the rise in SLV, across US

By PRISCILLA WAGGONER, Courier Reporter
Posted 10/26/24

ALAMOSA — “Whooping cough is in the San Luis Valley, which means it’s spreading.” Those are the words of Beverly Strnad, interim director of Alamosa County Public Health, when asked for her take on an infection that has been confirmed in the Valley with numbers soaring across the country. 

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Cases of whooping cough on the rise in SLV, across US

Posted

ALAMOSA — “Whooping cough is in the San Luis Valley, which means it’s spreading.” Those are the words of Beverly Strnad, interim director of Alamosa County Public Health, when asked for her take on an infection that has been confirmed in the Valley with numbers soaring across the country. 

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, across the nation, whooping cough cases have increased to record levels with over 18,000 cases reported by Oct. 5. In 2023, there were just 4,000 cases confirmed for the entire year.  

As of Oct. 15, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) reported 535 pertussis cases. By comparison, during the pandemic from 2020 to 2023, Colorado averaged 146 cases each year. 

Initial reports show that the highest rates are among Coloradans younger than 18-years-old, particularly those aged 15 to 18 years old. 

“There has been a noted increase in clusters and outbreaks in the past year, mostly in school settings — which is a common setting for these outbreaks to occur,” Kayla Glad, a state health department spokesperson, was quoted as saying to The Denver Gazette.  

When learning that whooping cough (more officially known as pertussis) had been confirmed in the San Luis Valley, the Valley Courier reached out to numerous sources for data on just how many people have become infected. It turns out that is not easy data to get.  

At least one case of the infection was confirmed on Monday in Alamosa High School. The Alamosa School District took immediate action by sending a letter to all parents warning them that their son or daughter may have been exposed. 

Beyond that, Strnad said the numbers of cases reported to Alamosa County Public Health could not be shared because, given the somewhat limited numbers, it might be easier to identify who is infected, which would be a violation of a person’s privacy and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). 

“When numbers [of cases] are small, they are suppressed to ensure the protection of personal data,” she said.   

Valley-Wide Health Systems reports having no confirmed cases. 

The Valley Courier obtained information from SLV Health. According to correspondence forwarded to Donna Wehe, SLV Health communications director, “Since the beginning of September, we have had 9 cases of whopping cough. Four of those cases were in the last 2 weeks. We went at least 4 years without a single case until now.” 

Upon request, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) provided its most recent data.  

“During the past two months, 11 cases have been reported in the San Luis Valley, including Alamosa, Conejos, Saguache, and Rio Grande counties,” wrote David Ellenberger with CDPHE. “Most cases (six) have been from Saguache County. Prior to the cases reported in 2024, there haven’t been any pertussis cases reported from these counties in the past five years (2019-2023).” 

Although the term “whooping cough” is familiar to many, what the infection actually involves is sometimes unknown. 

Also known as pertussis, whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection, typically recognizable by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like "whoop."  (Hence, the name.) 

According to the Mayo Clinic, people of all ages can become infected, but whooping cough is especially dangerous for babies, particularly those under 6 months. It can lead to severe breathing issues, which, if serious enough, may require hospitalization. 

It’s not always easy to identify at the start because early symptoms can look just like a common cold – a runny or stuffed-up nose, low-grade fever and a mild, occasional cough. But after a week, people with whooping cough can develop rapid, violent and uncontrolled coughing fits. 

The most important takeaway is that not becoming infected and not infecting others is possible as whooping cough is a vaccinable infection. CDC recommends whooping cough vaccination for babies, children, preteens, pregnant women, and adults.   

Babies receive the initial vaccination in a series of shots over time. But the older a person gets, the more the immunity fades, typically most notable in teenagers and young adults. 

There are two types of combination vaccines that protect against whooping cough: DTaP and Tdap. Babies and children younger than 7 years old receive DTaP, while older children and adults receive Tdap. 

Preteens are advised to get one shot of Tdap between the ages of 11 and 12 years to boost their immunity. Teens who didn’t get Tdap as a preteen can get one shot the next time they visit their healthcare provider. 

All adults who have never received one are advised to get a Tdap shot. This can be given at any time, regardless of when they last got one. Phone calls made to pharmacies in Alamosa indicate these vaccines are regularly kept on hand.