Pertussis

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, continues to surge in southwest Idaho. In the ten-county area managed by Central and Southwest District Health offices, there have been 222 confirmed cases as of October 7th this year, 51 new since September 5th. Most of this year’s cases in the two health districts are in Ada and Canyon Counties.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pertussis is on the rise. Here in the Gem State, we're seeing an outbreak in North Idaho, as well as Boise State, where the home opener was almost cancelled due to the disease.

A highly contagious disease was claiming lives, with no end in sight. Some members of the public, including a few members of the medical community were skeptical of a new vaccine. And the gap between the have’s and the have-nots grew wider. The year was… no, not 2020. In fact, it was 1932.

Public health experts are now recommending that pregnant women get the vaccine for whooping cough during pregnancy. The recommendation is in response to…

Idaho has had its first death from pertussis in three years. An eastern Idaho infant died last week from the disease also known as whooping cough. But…

There have been 21 reported cases of whooping cough in Idaho so far this year. But in Washington State the number of whooping cough cases has reached…