A case of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has been reported on Martha’s Vineyard.
The Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative, made up of Island health boards, issued a release on Tuesday stating that an Island resident was diagnosed. Where on the Island was not disclosed in the announcement.
The release notes that whooping cough is a “highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection that can be dangerous, especially to young children.” Those who are most at risk are infants and women in late-term pregnancy, who can pass it on to their newborns. Individuals with other health conditions that could be exacerbated by a “respiratory bacterial infection” may also have more severe illness.
In older children, teens, and adults, symptoms of whooping cough can be “miserable,” and last for weeks or months, but risk for “critical illness” is usually low.
Whooping cough starts with symptoms that “mimic the common cold, including runny nose, sneezing, and mild cough.” The severe coughing fits are where whooping cough gets its name. Infected people can cough “so intensely that they gasp to catch their breath, and whoop,” which can last up to six weeks before conditions gradually improve, the health boards state.
If caught early, whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, which can prevent the disease altogether. Health officials recommend individuals who have been exposed or have symptoms call their doctor.
The collaborative recommends that “symptomatic close contacts” should be treated, and avoid going to work or school until they have completed five days of treatment.
The best way to protect against whooping cough is vaccines, the release states.
Healthcare providers are required to report whooping cough cases to public health authorities under state law. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has noted in August that it has seen a rise in pertussis compared with the past few years.
“With pertussis, public health will identify exposed contacts, and urge them to seek preventive care,” the release states.
Para obter informações sobre coqueluche em Português, visite mvtimes.com/mvt/uploads/2024/11/pertussis-pt.pdf. Se precisa de ajuda para entrar em contato com um médico, pode ligar para Fernando Lana em 774-310-0224.
