Stevens Point News

Main Menu

  • Covid 19
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Crime
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Obits
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Legal Ads
    • Our Legals
    • Statewide
  • E-Edition
    • Stevens Point City Times

logo

Stevens Point News

  • Covid 19
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Crime
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Obits
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Legal Ads
    • Our Legals
    • Statewide
  • E-Edition
    • Stevens Point City Times
News
Home›News›County experiences increase in cases of pertussis

County experiences increase in cases of pertussis

By STEVENS POINT NEWS
November 2, 2016
894
0
Share:

Portage County Health and Human Services – Division of Public Health said in a press release it has seen an increase in the number of cases of pertussis, also known as “whopping cough.”

Pertussis continues to circulate in Portage County as well as throughout the state of Wisconsin. Parents are encouraged to make sure that they and their family members are up-to-date on their vaccinations. Most medical providers and local health departments have vaccine on hand.

Children normally receive a DTaP vaccine, providing protection against pertussis, at 2, 4, 6 and 12-15 months of age, and a booster dose at 4-6 years of age, said Gary Garske, Portage County Health officer.

“Some parents may not realize that another booster dose (called Tdap), is now required for children at 11 years of age. This one-time booster is also recommended for adults who have not had a pertussis vaccine since childhood.” Garske said. “Because young infants are at highest risk for serious disease with pertussis, it is particularly important that expectant or new parents be vaccinated, as well as grandparents and others who have close contact with young children.”

Pertussis usually begins with mild upper respiratory symptoms, such as runny nose and mild cough, with little or no fever. It then progresses to a more severe cough, with spasms of coughing which may cause vomiting.

Some, but not all individuals, will actually make a whooping sound as they take a breath between coughing spasms. This is how pertussis came to be called “whooping cough.”

Antibiotics are used to help decrease contagiousness in people with pertussis and can be used to help prevent infection in close contacts, but they do not “cure” the illness and symptoms may last for six to 10 weeks.

Complications of pertussis in older children and adults may include pneumonia and rib fractures. As noted above, young infants are most at risk for severe disease and complications such as pneumonia, seizures and in rare cases, death.

Unfortunately, it can be up to three weeks between the time someone is infected with pertussis and the time they actually develop symptoms, so when one new case is identified in the community, additional cases are likely to emerge over the subsequent weeks. Individuals with symptoms of pertussis are generally most contagious in the first two weeks of illness.

“The best way to protect your family is to make sure that everyone in the household is up-to-date on their pertussis vaccinations,” Garske said. “It is also important to have your child seen by a healthcare provider, if he/she is sick with a cough, before sending him/her to school.”

Individuals should call their healthcare provider or the health department, to see if they or their children are due for a pertussis vaccine or to make an appointment to be vaccinated.

Previous Article

Photo of the Day: Ready for Liftoff

Next Article

WVC All-Conference Teams Selected

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • News

    Municipal court meets officials’ expectations

    October 7, 2015
    By STEVENS POINT NEWS
  • FeatureNews

    Property values grow with state average; median home sales dip

    October 7, 2015
    By STEVENS POINT NEWS
  • News

    Local nonprofit set to open warming center Nov. 1

    October 28, 2015
    By STEVENS POINT NEWS
  • News

    School board finalizes district budget, sets levy

    October 28, 2015
    By STEVENS POINT NEWS
  • News

    City faces difficult budget, but keeps tax rate unchanged

    November 1, 2015
    By STEVENS POINT NEWS
  • News

    W/NP celebrates 50 years of humanitarian partnership

    November 4, 2015
    By STEVENS POINT NEWS

Leave a reply Cancel reply

High School Sports

Go to High School Sports

Free SP Newsletter

  • Sports

  • Commentary

  • Mayer explodes for 29 in physical win over Eagles 

    By Jacob Heid
    February 3, 2023
  • High-scoring affair leads to 10 goals in opening two periods

    By Jacob Heid
    February 2, 2023
  • Falcons soar past T-Birds with superb defensive effort 

    By Jacob Heid
    February 2, 2023
  • SPASH announces new girls’ golf head coach

    By Jacob Heid
    January 31, 2023
  • Panthers claim first conference victory of season on senior night 

    By Jacob Heid
    January 27, 2023
  • Pat Wood

    From the publisher: Christmas and Hanukkah

    By Kris Leonhardt
    December 24, 2022
  • Ice fishing contest Reels in $1,500 for Portage County Literacy Council

    By Taylor Hale
    March 17, 2022
  • Kemmeter Column: County celebrates year after quarantine

    By Taylor Hale
    July 12, 2021
  • Isherwood Column: Great engineering projects two

    By Taylor Hale
    July 11, 2021
  • Shoes News Graphic

    Show Column: Odd Jobs

    By Taylor Hale
    July 9, 2021

About Us


The Portage County Gazette is published every Friday by Multi Media Channels. It is locally-owned, locally-operated and locally-written. Subscriptions are $64 annually, delivered via the U.S. Postal Service.


To subscribe, go www.shopmmclocal.com/product/portage-county-gazette or call 715-258-4360

  • PO Box 408, Waupaca WI 54981
  • (715) 343-8045
  • News editor: [email protected]
Copyright © 2022 Multi Media Channels LLC.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the prior written consent of Multi Media Channels LLC.
×