Currently, there is an outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish communities in Crown Heights, Williamsburg, and Borough Park, Brooklyn.

109 cases have been reported to DOHMH from October 2014 through October 2015, with an increase over the past four months.

The majority of cases (90%) are children aged

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and medical providers in these communities are working together to stop the outbreak.

If you are pregnant, you can help protect your baby by getting the pertussis vaccine.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a very contagious bacterial infection that can cause coughing fits and vomiting.

In infants, it can lead to severe illness, such as pneumonia, ear infections, seizures, problems of the nervous system and brain, and even death.

In the United States, 10 to 20 babies die from pertussis every year.

Your baby is most vulnerable to serious complications from pertussis during the first few months of life. Half of infants younger than age 1 who get sick are hospitalized.

Doctors recommend that women get the pertussis vaccine between the 27th and 36th weeks of pregnancy to protect their babies.

Protect your baby’s health. Ask your doctor about the pertussis vaccine today!

Disease Overview: Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

• Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial illness. It causes a cough that can last several weeks, even months.
• People can get pertussis at any age. Children who are too young to be fully vaccinated and those who have not received all vaccinations are at highest risk for severe illness.
• Pertussis is usually spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, exposing others to infected mucus or droplets.
• Pertussis usually starts with cold-like symptoms
  • Early symptoms – can last for one to two weeks and usually include runny nose, low-grade fever, occasional cough (may be minimal or absent in infants), apnea — a pause in breathing (in infants)
  • Later symptoms – fits of many, rapid coughs, which empty the lungs, followed by a high-pitched “whoop” when inhaling afterwards, vomiting, exhaustion after coughing fits

o   The coughing fits can go on for up to 10 weeks or more. For teens and adults, especially those who were vaccinated, the “whoop” is often not there, and the infection is generally less severe

• The vaccine for pertussis is given together with the vaccines for diphtheria and tetanus. There are two vaccines to protect against pertussis:
  • For children under 7-years-old – diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine, or DTaP
  • For people aged 7 and older – tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine, or Tdap

  (YWN Desk – NYC)