Tioga County Public Health has seen multiple cases of Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough,
in the past few weeks. Whooping Cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease.
Individuals are urged to contact their health care provider if they or someone in their household
have experienced any of the following symptoms:
- Rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound
- Vomiting during or after coughing fits
- Exhaustion after coughing fits
Barbara Bilbrey, Public Health Nurse, encourages those who are experiencing symptoms similar to
Pertussis to “stay home from school or work, and avoid close contact with anyone around you.
Whooping cough can be extremely dangerous, especially for those with weakened immune
system.”
Make sure that you and your family are vaccinated against Pertussis. You can also protect yourself
by washing your hands often, avoiding close contact with others who are sick, and making sure
you do not share cups or water bottles with anyone, including friends or family members.
If you have further questions please call your health care provider or one of our Public Health
Nurses at 607-687-8600. For more information, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/.