Henderson County health officials said on Thursday there are now 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in the county - up from 27 last week.
Health Director Steve Smith says the department became aware of the first case on April 3. And while the majority of cases are among school-aged children, many adults are diagnosed - some who didn't even realize they had whooping cough. Smith says that’s because the illness, known as pertussis, often presents as a common cold.
“So what we realized in talking with some of these folks is that they've had pertussis and never realized that. And as you might imagine they are infectious and transmitting this disease and that may have gone on for two weeks without knowing that they had pertussis. So we expect that there will be more cases and that it's going to take us a while to get ahead of this,” Smith said.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection that affects the airways and lungs and spreads easily when someone coughs or sneezes. It gets its name from the "whooping" sound people make when gasping for air after coughing. Symptoms typically develop five to 10 days after exposure but can take as long as 21 days.
"We emphasize that this really is a community-level outbreak," Smith said. "These cases are kind of all over the map."
He says efforts to contain the outbreak include extensive contact tracing and guidance to schools and the community. However, the lack of clear links between cases suggests widespread transmission.
“We need the community’s help, and count on them being vigilant about their own symptoms, thinking that pertussis might be an option. Our medical community is also being very helpful.”
Smith is also encouraging the community to ensure vaccinations are up-to-date. The vaccine protection from childhood DTaP shots diminishes over time. Older children and adults, including pregnant women, are advised to receive a Tdap pertussis booster shot to safeguard themselves and infants in their vicinity.
"We just want people to stay safe and stay healthy," said Smith.
So far, the outbreak is confined to Henderson County, but health officials in neighboring Buncombe, Transylvania and Polk counties are carefully monitoring the situation. Buncombe County Health Director Ellis Matheson, DNP, RN, said on Monday, the county has one confirmed case, but it has not been linked to the outbreak. ‘
Transylvania Public Health spokesperson Tara Rybka told BPR that the county has two confirmed cases, but neither is related to the outbreak, or to each other. Rybka says it takes three related cases, not in the same household to make a whooping cough outbreak.
Residents who need a Tdap vaccine can call their healthcare provider or the Henderson County Health Department at 828-692-4223.
For further information on pertussis, visit cdc.gov/pertussis.
