The number of Whooping cough cases in Quebec has topped 6,000 since the start of the year, according to the province’s public health director.
The number of whooping cough cases in Quebec has topped 6,000 since the start of the year, according to the province’s public health director.
The number of reported cases in Quebec usually ranges between 240 and 1,600 a year.
The early symptoms of the disease usually resemble a cold, and may include a low-grade fever, runny nose, red and watery eyes and coughing. After seven to 14 days, the cough intensifies and becomes more frequent. As well, a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like a “whoop” characterizes the disease.
Whooping cough lasts six to 10 weeks, although it can last longer than 10 weeks in adolescents.
According to the Quebec health department, whooping cough cases usually peak every four years. The last major outbreak in the province was in 2019, when 1,259 cases were confirmed.
The illness is most serious in babies younger than one year old. The cough may be mild or absent in babies that young. However, sometimes the main symptom in babies under one year old is apnea, which is the repeated cessation of breathing.