Southeast Alaska health officials say cases of pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, are up in Juneau.
Last week, the City and Borough of Juneau and the Juneau School District sent out press releases to residents and students about the reported uptick in cases.
Southeast Regional Nurse Manager for the Division of Public Health Sarah Hargrave said the region has had 14 reported cases of the highly contagious respiratory illness since July. And cases continue to grow.
“We are just seeing an increase in pertussis, which is known as whooping cough, across the state,” Hargrave said. “That’s been going on since the summer, mostly up in other parts of the state, but about mid-summer, we started to see a few trickle into Southeast and they’re just continuing to have cases pop up.”
RELATED: Cases of whooping cough are spiking in Alaska this year
Cases have also been on the rise across the state and country, according to the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since January, there have been over 165 cases reported in Alaska, compared to less than 30 in 2023.
Symptoms of the disease start out similarly to a common cold but are paired with a long-lasting cough. It can spread easily from person to person through the air.
Bartlett Regional Hospital Infection Preventionist Charlee Gribbon said that’s why it’s important to make sure you’re vaccinated and taking precautions when you’re experiencing symptoms.
“Vaccinations are just a key part of keeping yourself overall healthy, like getting good sleep, good nutrition, good hydration,” Gribbon said. “It helps keep your immune system ready, so it’s all part of that.”
The bacterial infection is most dangerous for young children and babies under the age of one. It can also be more dangerous for people with pre-existing health conditions such as asthma. If caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics.
