Cases of whooping cough recorded in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

An upsurge in whooping cough is currently observed in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, with 11 cases of this contagious respiratory disease recorded only in May. However, the region is not one of the six regions where an excessive number of cases is observed.

Only one other case had been recorded since the start of 2024, for a total of 12.

Whooping cough has been absent since 2020 in the region, according to public health.

It is a month of May which is not normal: there are too many cases compared to other months of May, but if we look at the whole year, from January to May, we are not yet in excess, but just the month of May, it is special. So we have to wait a while longer before saying whether the year is special or not. We can’t say yet at this stage.said public health specialist Jean-François Betala Belinga in an interview.

For example, 75 cases had been recorded in Bas-Saint-Laurent as of Tuesday.

Whooping cough is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria. It begins with a cold, followed by intense coughing fits which sometimes cause vomiting. It lasts six to ten weeks and can cause serious complications in children under one year old.

Public health reminds that the best way to protect yourself against whooping cough remains vaccination.

Letters to parents

One case was notably reported at the Sainte-Marie-Médiatrice school in Jonquière. On May 21, the regional public health department sent a letter to parents asking them to be vigilant and report new infections, but no new cases have been declared since.

A similar letter was sent Tuesday to parents and staff members of the École lycée des Bâtisseurs – Édifice Kénogami. A person who attends the school has been diagnosed with whooping cough, the missive said.

According to Dr Betala Belinga, cases often appear in clusters.

These are outbreaks. You should know that if there is a case in a class, it is often young people in secondary schools, who are more often carriers or sick of this disease. It evolves in outbreaksexplained the doctor.

With information from Lauriane Boudreau and Mireille Chayer