FARGO — North Dakota has more than four times the whooping cough cases it had last year, state health officials said. Minnesota's outbreak is much worse, according to the state's data. The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed 73 instances of pertussis as of Wednesday, Oct.
23., up from the 17 cases reported in all of 2023, according to a news release. Of the 11 counties that reported whooping cough cases, more than two-thirds came from Cass County, with 50 cases, according to Health and Human Services' website.
Other counties that reported cases were Burleigh, Emmons, Griggs, McHenry, McKenzie, Morton, Mountrail, Stark, Traill and Ward. The state has issued a health advisory to medical providers, the release said. “Pertussis is a major threat to our community,” said Danni Pinnick, immunization surveillance coordinator for Health and Human Services.
“Vaccination, especially for pregnant individuals, is the best way to prevent severe illness.” Minnesota reported 1,019 cases as of Oct. 10.
That was almost 17 times more than the 61 reported last year, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. It's also the highest number of cases reported in the state since 2016, when Minnesota had 1,247, according to the state's health department. Roughly 85% of Minnesota's cases were in counties surrounding the Twin Cities area.
Clay County reported 14. Whooping cases are also spiking across the U.S.
As of Oct. 12, the Centers for Disease Control a.