Whooping Cough outbreak in Southeast Texas?

CDC

The Hardin County Health Department has confirmed that there is an outbreak of whooping cough in the area.

According to Diane Rashall of the Jasper-Newton Counties Public Health District, there have been no cases reported to the department in the Jasper, Newton, or Tyler County areas.

Whooping Cough or Pertussis is very contagious. As of Thursday, cases have been diagnosed at Lumberton and West Hardin CISD, with Silsbee ISD closing schools early due to the illness.

In a statement from the CDC, "Preliminary data show that more than six times as many cases have been reported as of week 49 reported on December 7, 2024, compared to the same time in 2023. The number of reported cases this year is higher than what was seen at the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic."

Sharon Whiley, of the Hardin County Health Department said that as of Wednesday, there were 10 confirmed cases of whooping cough in school aged students with three confirmed cases and one probable at Lumberton High School, Lumberton's middle and intermediate schools have one confirmed case and three possible cases. West Hardin High School has one confirmed case and two possible cases. All three are in the same family. And Silsbee ISD- Silsbee ISD has two confirmed cases at its elementary school.

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