Surge in Whooping Cough Cases Reported Across Canada

TORONTO — Canada is experiencing a notable rise in whooping cough cases, with several provinces observing significant increases compared to the pre-pandemic years.

In Quebec, over 11,670 cases have been reported thus far in 2024, a stark contrast to the annual average of 562 cases between 2015 and 2019. A spokesperson for Quebec’s health ministry indicated that the majority of affected individuals are aged between 10 and 14.

The last recorded peak in Quebec occurred in 2019, when 1,269 cases were documented.

Ontario has also seen a rise, with 470 reported cases as of June, compared to a five-year average of 98. Cities such as Toronto and Ottawa have reported 99 and 76 cases respectively, which is more than double the pre-pandemic annual averages for these urban centers.

The surge is not isolated to Quebec and Ontario. New Brunswick recently declared a whooping cough outbreak, reporting 141 cases, which exceeds their average of 34 cases annually over the past five years.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious disease that can lead to severe complications, particularly in young children. Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, emphasized that the disease is preventable through vaccination.

Dr. Allison Chris, an associate medical officer of health at Toronto Public Health, noted that this increase appears to be part of a cyclical pattern, occurring approximately every two to six years.

The disease manifests with cold-like symptoms initially, which develop into severe coughing fits characterized by a “whooping” sound as the patient struggles to breathe.

Dr. Yves Léger, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health, remarked that the province hasn’t witnessed a whooping cough outbreak in over a decade, asserting that the current increase in cases was expected.

Routine childhood immunizations against whooping cough are integrated into Canada’s vaccination schedule starting at two months of age, with several doses required for complete protection. Booster vaccinations are also recommended for older children, adolescents, and adults, particularly during pregnancy.

Both Dr. Chris and Dr. Anna Banerji, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, indicated that the observed decline in routine vaccination coverage due to the COVID-19 pandemic may contribute to the decrease in pertussis immunity among the population.

The rise in whooping cough cases is also evident in the United States and other countries, prompting the Pan American Health Organization to issue an alert recommending increased surveillance and vaccination campaigns.