Whooping Cough Cases on the Rise in Canada: What You Need to Know

While whooping cough cases are expected to hit a record high in Ontario, they are declining in Quebec. But experts say it’s especially difficult to predict the course of the contagious disease this year.

Unpredictable Pattern of Whooping Cough

Jesse Papenberg, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Montreal, said the disease is the first to spread on a significant scale since several years before the pandemic, and unlike the flu, it doesn’t follow a predictable pattern except for recurrences every few years.

Vaccine-Preventable Pertussis on the Rise

According to provincial statistics, vaccine-preventable pertussis (also known as 100-day cough) has surpassed pre-pandemic peaks in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

High Risk Groups

The rate is particularly high in Ontario, where public health data released Tuesday included adult deaths, but details were not provided. The disease is most dangerous for infants, children, and unvaccinated seniors, according to infectious disease specialist Isaac Bogoch.

But he said deaths among adults are rare.

Record High Cases in Ontario

Ontario is expected to surpass its highest number of cases since 2012, when 1,044 cases were reported. As of September 9, Ontario has reported 1,016 cases. This is a significant increase from the 470 cases last reported in June and the five-year average so far of 98.

Importance of Vaccination

Even in those who have been vaccinated, the duration of immune protection is relatively short, lasting only a few years, according to Papenberg.

Public health officials also said weekly case numbers are down compared to last month, but Quebec Health Ministry spokeswoman Marie-Claude Lacasse said it was “too early to say whether this trend will continue or whether new infections will increase as the school year begins.”

“The easiest way to control whooping cough is vaccination,” Bogoch said.

Vaccination Schedule

Routine vaccinations to protect children from whooping cough are scheduled at 2, 4, and 6 months, followed by a booster dose at 18 months and then throughout childhood and adolescence. Vaccination is also recommended for adults and during pregnancy.