Whooping cough cases continue upward climb in Henderson County

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As of April 29, the Henderson County Department of Public Health reports there are now 43 cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in Henderson County, which is a 59% rise in just four days.

Andrew Mundhenk, a spokesperson for the Henderson County Department of Public Health, confirmed the number on April 30. On April 25, there were 27 cases in the county, and 16 new cases reported since then, he said. This marks the largest outbreak since late 2017 into early 2018, Health Director Steve Smith said.

Henderson County Health Director Steve Smith, who has served in his role since 2014, told the Times-News on April 26 that it was the largest outbreak for whooping cough since late 2017.

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"We have had history with pertussis. It's always kind of around at some level in the community. But our last large outbreak was in the transition of 2017 and 2018. That ended up being about 95 cases," Smith said in a previous article.

Kimbrell Arrowood, the public information officer for Henderson County Public Schools, told the Times-News on April 26 that some students had tested positive for whooping cough, but was unable to give an exact number.

"To ensure the health and safety of our students and staff, we are following the guidelines and recommendations from the Henderson County Department of Public Health," Arrowood said.

Kassi Day with Buncombe County Government told the Times-News on April 30 that Buncombe County has one confirmed case of whooping cough, and in Polk County, there are two cases, according to Tara Rybka, the public information officer for Polk County's health department.

"Because pertussis is so contagious, it is very important for infected people to stay at home and away from others while they are able to spread the illness to others. They should also take the entire course of antibiotics as prescribed," Rybka said via email.

The Henderson County Health Department said families are encouraged to make sure their vaccinations are up to date. Protection against pertussis from the childhood vaccine, DTaP, decreases over time, according to a news release. Older children and adults, including pregnant women, need to get a pertussis booster shot called 'Tdap' to protect themselves and infants near or around them.

People who need the Tdap vaccine can contact their healthcare provider or call the Henderson County Health Department at 828-692-4223 for assistance. For more information on pertussis, visit www.cdc.gov/pertussis/.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.