1410 WIZM

Wisconsin has the nation's highest rate of whooping cough cases. The U-S Centers for Disease Control said 93 of every 100 thousand Wisconsinites had whooping cough this year. That’s the highest rate in the nation and it’s more than eight times the national average. We asked Public Health Nurse, Jo Foellmi (FELL-ME) why the numbers are so high.

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Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness. For adults, it may seem like a bad cold. But, for infants it can potentially be deadly. It's the most in Wisconsin since 2004 when more than 5,600 cases were reported.