The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has confirmed that an infant in the state recently died from pertussis.
The infant was less than 2 months old and MSDH said the baby was not age-eligible to be vaccinated against pertussis. Gender or location where the child lived are not shared to respect the family’s privacy.
MSDH said that whooping cough is also known as pertussis. It is very contagious and is a respiratory disease that causes uncontrollable violent coughing. This can make it hard to breathe and it can be fatal for babies under 1 year old.
A total of 115 pertussis cases have been reported since January of this year. Last year there were only a total of 49 in the state. Since the year 2008, three children have died from whooping cough.
MSDH reccomends getting a vaccine to prevent pertussis.
The DTaP vaccine is recommended for younger children, while Tdap is recommended for older children, pregnant women and adults. Infants should receive DTaP vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months followed by two booster doses at 15 to 18 months and at 4 to 6 years. Pre-teens should receive a single dose of Tdap at 11 to 12 years to boost their immunity.
If you are a grandparent or someone who will come into close contact with a young child, it’s more important than ever that you get vaccinated or boosted to ensure you don’t pass the disease on to the child. Even healthy adults can unknowingly spread infections like pertussis and RSV to babies.
MSDH stated that there is no distinct seasonal pattern to pertussis. Past trends suggest that cases may increase in summer and fall, and the pertussis vaccine usually takes up to two weeks to produce immunity. Pertussis vaccines for those 18 and under who are eligible for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program are available at County Health Departments. Insurance, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are also accepted for children’s pertussis vaccines. A list of all VFC providers can be found at msdh.ms.gov/vfc.
To see if you qualify for a free vaccination, call (855) 767-0710 or visit msdh.ms.gov/pertussis to schedule an appointment, or for more information on pertussis.
