LIBERTY, NY — Sullivan County Public Health Services issued a Public Health Advisory to notify the public that seven cases of pertussis (whooping cough) have been confirmed among residents in Sullivan County from December 2016 through the end of January. Last summer and fall, the county health department investigated 32 confirmed pertussis cases through the end of October. This is a significant increase over previous years.

The epidemiology nursing staff continues to work closely with health-care providers in the county to monitor and identify any additional suspect cases to ensure timely treatment and to control outbreaks as quickly as possible.

Residents who have been near someone with pertussis may become ill with the disease. This is especially true if the resident has not received all the pertussis vaccine shots. Sometimes even if shots are up to date, residents may still come down with pertussis.

Pertussis is also known as whooping cough because of the “whooping” sound that is made when gasping for air after a fit of coughing makes it hard to breathe. Coughing episodes due to pertussis infection can last for up to 10 weeks or more.

Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air by cough. Pertussis begins with cold symptoms and cough, which becomes much worse over one to two weeks.