Cases of highly contagious whooping cough or pertussis have witnessed a fourfold rise this season across the USA, compared to last year, which has raised concerns among parents and health authorities. Whooping cough, which commonly affects children, starts with a mild illness with symptoms resembling common cold like runny or stuffy nose, low-grade fever, mild and occasional coughing, but as the days go by, it can turn more severe, putting certain kids at risk of life-threatening complications.
Whooping cough is particularly worrying because children affected by it gasp for air in between the coughing fits, letting out a sound which is called whoop. The airways of infants are small, which means they struggle to breathe when they are overwhelmed with coughing fits.
