Julia Miller graduated from Troy University, majoring in communications. During her time at Troy, she joined her school's local news station, TROY TrojanVision News, where she discovered her passion for journalism.
Health officials report a surge in whooping cough cases across North Alabama, with confirmed outbreaks in Jackson, Madison, Limestone, and Lauderdale counties.
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has yet to pinpoint a specific cause for this uptick, but they note that lower vaccination rates among children could be a factor. Regardless of vaccination status, there are preventive steps everyone can take to reduce the risk of infection.
According to Dr. Wes Stubblefield of the ADPH, whooping cough, also known as pertussis disease, often starts with symptoms resembling a common cold: a runny nose, sore throat, mild fever, and cough. These early symptoms can persist for a few weeks before potentially developing into prolonged coughing fits that can last for months. While adults can typically tolerate the illness, it poses a serious threat to infants and young children, for whom it can be life-threatening.
Wes Stubblefield said, "The symptoms in the beginning are very hard to distinguish from a cold, and so it's just really hard to pick up on because the symptoms don't turn into those more typical symptoms until several weeks into the illness."
Local nurse practitioner Mary Sparks suggests that parents can help protect their children by reinforcing simple hygiene habits.
"One thing parents can do is teach their children to just wash your hands or cover your nose and mouth when you cough. Or you know, sometimes take hand sanitizer and wash your hands that way, and just talk to your children in school and say, Hey, cover your nose, cover your mouth, and just try to prevent that spread," said Sparks.
Sparks also emphasizes the importance of staying in touch with primary care providers to monitor symptoms and catch potential cases early.
"Keep following up with your primary care physician or your pediatrician to make sure, Hey, this sounds suspicious; this doesn't sound right. Those are some signs to go ahead and call your doctor immediately before it spreads or gets worse because sometimes patients won't even have symptoms day one, two, and three. They may start having symptoms day five or later, and so the longer you wait to get treated, the worse it can get," said Sparks.
Sparks advises seeing a healthcare provider at the first sign of symptoms to help prevent complications and further spread of the infection.
The Alabama Department of Public Health recommends the vaccination against whooping cough.