FLORENCE, Ky. (WKRC) - There is a warning out about a highly contagious disease on the rise in the Tri-State. Infection control specialists at the Northern Kentucky Health Department say the number of reported whooping cough cases is climbing. The majority of recent cases have been in school-aged children, but it can affect people of any age.
Whooping cough may present as a common cold. You may notice symptoms including a runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and a mild cough. But after a couple of weeks, a persistent cough develops in explosive bursts, sometimes even ending with a high-pitched "whoop" and vomiting.
It's especially dangerous for babies who can't get the vaccine at birth, so those around them need to be protected by getting the vaccine themselves. In most cases, the vaccine is free at the health department or your doctor's office.
If you have a new baby, ask at the birthing center about family-member options. At St. Elizabeth, they offer that vaccine to all family members.
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