A empty bottle of tetanus, diphthera and pertussis vaccine. In Montgomery County, health officials have reported an uptick in pertussis cases recently and have encouraged residents to make sure they are up to date on vaccines.health officials are monitoring a rise in cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, a bacterial infection that causes a serious cough that can last for months. It is particularly dangerous for newborns.
People are most contagious during the first week or two of infection. The cough can sometimes take three months to resolve. Plymouth Whitemarsh district officials said in an email to parents that children with health conditions that could be worsened by pertussis should take antibiotics to prevent them from contracting whooping cough, even if they are not coughing themselves.