As of Friday, 154 confirmed or probable cases of the highly contagious disease were identified in Manitoba, according to a Monday press release from the Manitoba government.

A total of 152 cases were reported in the south-central and south-eastern regions of the province covered by Santé Sud.

More than half of these cases, 80 of them, affect children aged 1 to 9 years. The others are distributed among infants aged 1 year or less (30 cases), children aged 10 to 19 years (24 cases) and adults (20 cases).

While people of all ages can be affected by the disease, infants one year old and younger are at greatest risk for serious life-threatening complications such as respiratory arrest, pneumonia, seizures and brain swelling.

Pregnant women in the third trimester also have a higher risk of complications, depending on the state.

So far, no deaths related to the disease have been reported.

The number of reported cases varies from year to year, generally peaking every two to five years, depending on the province. An outbreak can be reported when the number of reported cases in an area is higher than expected in a given period.

Whooping cough is caused by bacteria and is usually transmitted by respiratory droplets in the air after a cough or sneeze. According to the province, the disease is most contagious in the early stages.

The symptoms initially resemble those of a cold and usually appear 7 to 10 days after infection.

According to the statement, whooping cough often starts with a low-grade fever, runny nose and cough and can lead to severe coughing fits that last 1 to 10 weeks.

These seizures can cause difficulty breathing, choking, and vomiting. Babies can also have trouble feeding.

The province promotes vaccinations

In a letter sent to several health facilities in March, Manitoba Health notes that cases of whooping cough have been identified in the South Health Region, attributed to declining vaccination rates in infants.

According to the province, vaccination is the best way to prevent whooping cough, reduce the risk of serious symptoms and curb the spread of the disease.

According to the provincial government, earlier this month Manitoba Health sent follow-up letters to parents and caregivers of children born in 2019, 2020 and 2021 who may miss routine childhood immunizations due to the pandemic, which has impacted medical follow-up have.

Santé Sud is currently trying to establish links with these families in order to promote the vaccination of children.

In recent months, cases of whooping cough have also been reported in southern Ontario and Alberta.