MANCHESTER, N.H. –

Doctors across the country are reporting a rise in whooping cough cases this year, with numbers reaching the highest level in 10 years.

New Hampshire has seen an increase in recent years, but experts say it’s actually a return to pre-pandemic numbers.

>> View the latest whooping cough data

Like many other respiratory illnesses, the number of whooping cough cases declined significantly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with New Hampshire seeing fewer than 10 cases each year from 2020 to 2023.

This year, New Hampshire is reporting 51 cases of whooping cough. While the number is increasing every year, the state averaged about 70 cases per year in the pre-pandemic period.

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The disease, also known as whooping cough, is a bacterial infection. Early symptoms often resemble a cold and include a runny nose, mild fever, and mild cough. However, these symptoms can progress and become much more severe, including a more severe cough, sometimes severe enough to break a patient’s ribs.

The state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said the disease can be highly contagious.

“This is a type of infection that can spread very easily and cause outbreaks in settings where people are in close contact with each other, such as in kindergartens and schools,” said Dr. Chan.

There are effective vaccines and antibiotic treatments for whooping cough.

Dr. Chan said anyone who experiences cold symptoms that continue to worsen should talk to their doctor about getting tested.

>> View the latest whooping cough data in New Hampshire and across the U.S.:

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