It’s that time of year when you hear “Yeah, it’s going around” when everyone is getting sick, but this year we’re facing problems we haven’t seen in over a decade .
Most of us haven’t paid attention to the CDC stats and the number of cases that have been circulating since COVID, and most of us didn’t pay attention to them before the pandemic either, so for the Most of the widespread diseases are quite far from reality. our radar.
The numbers come in from 2024 and Arkansas and most other states are seeing an increase and a continuing outbreak of whooping coughwhich can get quite painful.
Current statistics
Man coughing into arm/elbow
Arkansas reported 299 cases in the state in 2024. The numbers are sharply increasing, as in 2023, only 38 cases were reported for the year. In December, 13 new cases were reported in that week alone, the same number as the state as a whole for all of 2023.
The rest of the country is also seeing an increase in whooping cough, with states like North Carolina seeing more than 700 confirmed cases this year, including 49 in December alone.
Children must be vaccinated to attend school and it is recommended that adults get vaccinated as well if you have not already done so.
According to the CDC, in December 2024, nearly seven times more cases of whooping cough have been reported compared to the same period last year.
Symptoms
Whooping cough is pretty obvious by its name, but symptoms include:
- Runny/stuffy nose
- Lots of coughing
- Mild fever
The CDC also says that even if you got the vaccine, you could still get it, you’re just less likely to get it. If you have whooping cough, it is recommended that you follow all the normal recovery steps: taking antibiotics, resting, drinking fluids, using a humidifier, and covering your cough.
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