Whooping cough is a serious bacterial infection that is currently on the rise in northern B.C.

While British Columbia is not considered to have an outbreak at this time, the Northern Health Region has been affected more than the rest of the province. 

Northern Health saw the highest rate of whooping cough in 2023 at 6.5 cases per 100,000 population, and this year has been worse so far.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (CDC) reports that between Jan. 1 and June 27, Northern Health saw 8.3 cases per 100,000 people. That is more than double the next highest rate of 3.5 cases in the Interior Health Region. 

However, "per capita pertussis rates remain well below levels seen in the Northern Health Region prior to 2018," said Arthur Williams, communications advisor for Northern Health.

Earlier this year in January, a case of whooping cough was detected at Bert Bowes Middle School, prompting Northern Health to send a letter to students and families of the school. Families of students at Dr. Kearney Middle School and North Peace Secondary School received similar letters last December.

The most affected groups are children between the ages of one and 14, and pregnant women.

"Early symptoms are similar to the common cold and include sneezing, runny nose, mild fever, and a mild cough. Over the next two weeks, the cough gets worse, leading to severe, repeated, and forceful coughing spells that often end with a whooping sound before the next breath," according to HealthLinkBC's website.

Scientifically known as pertussis or colloquially known as the 100-day cough, the name comes from the "whoop" sound that comes from the high-pitched breath of air that follows a severe a hacking cough.

"The cough can last several months and often occurs more at night," wrote HealthLinkBC. "Pertussis can cause complications such as pneumonia, seizures, brain damage or even death."

The rise of whooping cough is not just a northern B.C. or provincial issue. To date, more than 12,000 cases have been reported in 2024 nationally, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), mostly in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Alberta. In 2023, outbreaks were declared in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

According to the PHAC, it is a cyclical disease that peaks every two to five years, meaning the number of reported cases vary year to year. Its seasonal peak is the end of summer and beginning of fall.

"Increased pertussis activity this year is not unexpected as it follows a period of low incidence during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic," said PHAC.

"Each year in Canada, one to three deaths occur due to pertussis, mostly in babies less than three months of age who have not been immunized," wrote HealthLinkBC.

"Among cases with reported immunization status, to date, the majority (more than 85 per cent) were considered not up to date with pertussis immunizations," said Williams.

The BC CDC is not aware of any pertussis deaths this year in the province, but it is aware of three hospitalizations so far. Two were unimmunized infants and one was a partially-immunized child between five and nine years of age.

"Vaccines, especially for the very young and pregnant mothers, are the best protection against pertussis," said Williams.

"Pertussis spreads easily when an infected person coughs, sneezes or has close contact with others," wrote HealthLinkBC. "The infection can spread to others during the early stages when symptoms are not severe, and if left untreated, can spread up to three weeks after the cough starts."

Williams noted that pertussis vaccines are included in free, routine childhood immunizations. Children typically start receiving the vaccine at two months of age. Five doses are necessary for children under six years of age to be fully protected against the disease.

Pertussis vaccines are also available for older children and adults. 

For adults who were not immunized against whooping cough as children, they also can get a dose of the vaccine for free, he shared. Adults who were immunized against it in childhood are reccommended to get a booster dose, but it is not provided for free in B.C.