21 cases of whooping cough in Huron Perth so far this year
Huron Perth Public Health is warning residents about an increase of whooping cough cases.
In 2022, there were three cases in the area, but so far in 2023, there have been 21 confirmed by public health.
"The illness can be serious for infants younger than 12 months of age who are not vaccinated, or who have not received all doses of the pertussis vaccine," says Dr. Miriam Klassen, Medical Officer of Health for Huron Perth in a Wednesday news release. "Young children have the highest risk for severe complications, such as hospitalization and death, if they get sick."
Public health says the illness begins with mild, cold-like symptoms and may progress to severe coughing that can last two weeks or longer and be extremely contagious. Children may make a ‘whoop’ sound, gag, or vomit while coughing.
Public health says the rise in cases in Huron Perth and southern Ontario is partially due to delays in routine immunizations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parents are encouraged to keep their children up to date on immunizations and, if they or their kids are sick, to stay home and contact their primary care provider.
Earlier in March, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health reported 12 cases of whooping cough since the fall. Last week, the number for WDG jumped to 18.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S., Canadian navies stage rare joint mission through Taiwan Strait
A U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said, in a rare joint mission in the sensitive waterway at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over Chinese-claimed Taiwan.

4 youth killed fishing on Quebec shore after tide overtakes them
Four children were killed and one man is missing after they were swept away by the tide while fishing in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a riverside community in Quebec's Côte-Nord region.
Fighting climate change or funding fossil fuels? America wants it 'both ways': U.S. ambassador
The U.S. Ambassador to Canada says America 'absolutely wants to have it both ways' when it comes to fighting climate change while pursuing fossil fuel projects.
Antipsychotic drugs use increased in Canadian long-term care homes, pointing to possible quality-of-care issues: study
New study finds increase in antipsychotic drugs use in long-term care homes across Canada, despite no significant increase in behavioural symptoms – something that may expose a potential area of concern for quality of care, researchers say.
More than 5,000 new species discovered at future deep-sea mining site in Pacific Ocean
More than 5,000 new species have been discovered at an expansive future deep-sea mining site in the Pacific Ocean.
Ukraine says inspections found nearly a quarter of its air-raid shelters locked or unusable
Concerns around civilian safety spiked in Ukraine on Saturday, as officials announced that an inspection had found nearly a quarter of the country's air-raid shelters locked or unusable, just days after a woman in Kyiv allegedly died waiting outside a shuttered shelter during a Russian missile barrage.
Pope warns of risk of corruption in missionary fundraising after AP investigation
Pope Francis warned the Vatican's missionary fundraisers on Saturday not to allow financial corruption to creep into their work, insisting that spirituality and spreading the Gospel must drive their operations, not mere entrepreneurship.
Feds open to cutting plastic production but global agreement will be hard: Guilbeault
Canada is open to the idea of including a requirement to cut back on the production of plastic in a new global treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Friday.
Montreal hot sauce makes spicy new addition to YouTube show 'Hot Ones'
La Pimenterie's Curry Verde is the hot new thing on 'Hot Ones,' a hit celebrity interview show on YouTube.