Toronto Public Health says the number of whooping cough cases are more than double the pre-pandemic average.
The public health agency is reporting 99 cases in Toronto so far this year compared to the pre-pandemic five-year average of 38.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a cyclical disease that occasionally increases every two to six years in Ontario.
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It is a highly contagious persistent cough that’s of most concern for infants. Toronto Public Health says 41 per cent of cases are found in 10 to 14-year-olds.
Last week, New Brunswick health officials said a whooping cough outbreak had spread across the province, pointing to 141 reported cases so far this year.
That well-exceeded the province’s annual average of 34 cases.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
