Whooping cough rises sharply in McHenry County; total for 2024 now more than 4 times higher than last year

Eleven cases of whooping cough were reported in November in McHenry County, according to a newly updated McHenry County Department of Health report.

In October, the health department originally reported eight cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, but that number has been updated to 20 cases, more than double what was originally reported.

Susan Karras, the director of public health nursing at the county health department, said there is a current outbreak at McHenry High School Upper Campus. Karras said the first case was reported Oct. 12, and there have been eight cases total cases reported in the outbreak, which has not yet been declared over. All of the cases are in students, Karras said. McHenry High officials said at the end of October they knew of one case.

The year-to-date case countywide count is now 59 through the end of November, significantly higher than any yearly total for pertussis in McHenry since at least 2018. The online reports go back to 2019. There were 13 total cases in 2023, the next highest year in the past five years.

The November report comes a couple weeks after the health department issued a news release warning of an uptick in cases in the county. The release did not specify a number of cases in the county, other than to say it has seen a significant increase.

Karras said the numbers have been revised upward as more cases came to light or were confirmed after the initial reporting.

The Illinois Department of Health said in a Monday news release there were 408 cases of pertussis reported statewide in October – the largest monthly total in 20 years. The state has tallied more than 1,900 confirmed and probable cases of whopping cough this year, according to preliminary data, the release states. It marks the highest number of cases since 2012.

“This tracks a national trend and follows a sharp drop in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the release.

The McHenry County data report for whooping cough is available online by going to mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/health-department/data-and-reports and clicking on “communicable diseases.”

In the November release, the health department said whooping cough “is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory disease, and early recognition and treatment are crucial to preventing its spread.”

Pertussis can start with mild symptoms like a runny nose, low-grade fever, and cough, progressing to intense coughing fits, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, a high-pitched “whoop” sound, exhaustion and even pauses in breathing.

The health department advises those who develop symptoms should immediately contact their healthcare provider. If a child gets diagnosed with whooping cough, parents should tell the school to help stem further spread.

Those diagnosed with whooping cough should take the prescribed antibiotics for five days and stay isolated until they have completed the course. Vaccination is the best preventive measure against pertussis, according to the health department.

The health department recommends pregnant women get vaccinated with each pregnancy and residents should check with their healthcare providers to make sure they’re up-to-date. Those who are around newborns should also get vaccinated, Karras said.