Pertussis, also known as whooping cough is on the rise around the world, including here in the US. Pertussis is one of the world’s most contagious diseases and is a leading cause of death in infants globally.
Finland and New Zealand are the latest two countries reporting increases in Pertussis cases this week. Europe has experienced a huge increase in Pertussis this year with other affected countries including: Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
According to CDC data, reported cases of pertussis in the US are more than twice as high this year compared to the same time period last year.
Make sure you are up to date with your TdaP vaccine which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. The vaccine should be administered every 5 to 10 years, especially if you plan to travel internationally, where community immunization levels for pertussis are often lower.
