Whooping cough cases are continuing to rise in the United States, with new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that there are five times as many cases this year than at this point in time last year.

Cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have surged to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Q: I’ve been seeing a lot of news stories about whooping cough. Is there really another illness that we need worry about? What is whooping cough, and how do you get it? What is the treatment? I

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday that whooping cough cases for this time of year hit their highest level in a decade. With 18,506 cases reported so far in 2024, the total marks the most cases recorded since 2014,

The early symptoms of whooping cough sound like a normal cold but the coughs develop into ones that sound like “whoop” when those who are sick gasp for air after coughing. The symptoms may be a bit different for babies and young children who don’t cough but instead have difficulty breathing, the CDC said.

Five times as many cases of the potentially fatal illness have been reported so far in 2024, compared with the same time last year.

Whooping cough is at its highest level in a decade for this time of year, U.S. health officials reported Thursday. There have been 18,506 cases of whooping cough reported so far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.