Whooping Cough on the Rise in Connecticut

More and more people are catching whooping cough – also known as pertussis – in Connecticut. The Day reports that the 111 cases reported this year could reach a decade-long high. In the previous year there were only 68 cases.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the “highly contagious respirtory disease” leads to “uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe.” Children are the most at risk and the disease can be fatal. So far in Connecticut, no one has reportedly died.

The Day reports that one way to combat the disease is for people to get a booster shot of the immunization.

is the West Nile virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes.