Cases of a highly contagious respiratory tract infection on the rise in the north
CTV
The Sudbury - Manitoulin area is seeing reports of increased infections and community exposures of pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
The Sudbury - Manitoulin area is seeing reports of increased infections and community exposures of pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts issued an advisory alert identifying several cases of the infection locally.
As of Oct. 15, officials said that 32 cases have been reported.
Last year, they said there were seven total in 2023 and none between 2020 and 2022.
Afzaa Rajabali, a health promoter with Public Health Sudbury & Districts, said there are several factors contributing to the rise in cases.
"Whooping cough, typically, has a cyclical pattern when cases rise every two to five years and in our area," Rajabali said.
"We had a peak in 2019 with 45 cases."
