Pennsylvania has seen more cases of whooping cough than any other state this year, with 2,165 cases of the serious bacterial infection reported as of late September.
At this time in 2023, the state had reported 205 cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year’s cases represent a 956% increase from the year before.
The continued outbreak prompted a statewide alert from health officials in early September, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia re-instituted staff masking policies this summer to better protect employees and patients.
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Whooping cough, or pertussis, is caused by a bacterial infection and can result in a severe cough that lasts for months. It’s particularly dangerous for infants, especially those too young to be vaccinated against the disease.
Preventative measures for whooping cough at CHOP
In August, seeing a rise in cases at its offices in Philadelphia’s collar counties, CHOP began requiring staff to mask in waiting rooms and while seeing patients in Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, and Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania and Burlington County in New Jersey.
At the end of September, with cases also rising in Philadelphia, CHOP staff began masking at their city facilities as well, said Erika Hayes, CHOP’s senior medical director of infection prevention.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we all got very, very good about not going out when we were sick and wearing our masks,” she said. “Mid-2020 to about late 2021, the number of pertussis cases were vanishingly rare, and it was because of these good practices.”
The health system is hoping that requiring staff to mask now can help slow the flow of cases.
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In a statement, the state Department of Health said areas with high population density like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are seeing the highest increases. Still, pertussis cases in Philadelphia have not been evenly spread among health providers: St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Kensington has seen only a handful this year. CHOP has seen 609 across its facilities in the region.
Hayes said she hoped cases might decrease soon. “But honestly, especially with the kids back in school, I am very worried that we may continue to rise,” she said.
Most of the pertussis outbreaks reported this year took place at middle schools, high schools, and colleges, state officials said. Montgomery County’s Plymouth Whitemarsh High School reported a pertussis outbreak among six students in April.
New Jersey also saw higher-than-usual whooping cough cases this summer, prompting an alert from the state health department, although the cases reported so far this year are now lower than year-to-date case counts from 2023. And the state is seeing far fewer cases than neighboring Pennsylvania, with just 128 cases reported this year.
What’s driving the rise in pertussis cases?
At Virtua Health in South Jersey, infection prevention officer Martin Topiel said the health system is seeing more whooping cough cases in its ERs and urgent care centers than usual.
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But it’s unclear what exactly is behind the rise. Topiel said that better detection methods could contribute to an increase in reported cases.
Some patients also put off vaccinations during the COVID pandemic, Hayes noted, adding that the standard childhood Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, wears off as you age. That might have put more patients at risk.
“People can become susceptible again to pertussis, and pertussis in adults and grown-ups looks like a little bit of a cold and then a cough that won’t go away for a long time,” she said. “A lot of people don’t get diagnosed. But it’s extremely contagious.”
Newborns are at the highest risk of infection and, in rare cases, death from pertussis. In very young babies, the symptoms of whooping cough might be more difficult to spot, since producing the distinctive “whoop” requires muscle tone not yet developed. Instead, they may struggle to breathe or stop breathing.
Preventing serious illness
That’s why it’s especially important for adults and older children to stay up-to-date on Tdap boosters—to protect babies under two months, who are too young to be vaccinated, Hayes said. It’s also important for pregnant people to receive a Tdap shot between 27 and 36 weeks gestation of each pregnancy, state officials said, in order to give newborns some added protection.
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State officials said 94.6% of Pennsylvania’s kindergartners are vaccinated for pertussis. And 92.4% of 7th graders and 97.1% of 12th graders have gotten a Tdap vaccine.
Patients can still get ill from pertussis if they’re vaccinated, but the vaccine can prevent more serious outcomes, said Topiel.
“Pertussis can last a very long time and it can be quite disabling and uncomfortable once someone catches it,” he said. “I don’t want people to go through that.”
‘Vaccines are our best defense’
Earlier this summer, Emmani Osborne-Morrison came down with a cold. Emmani has a severe form of epilepsy, and her mother Juliette Osborne, a nurse practitioner from Lumberton, N.J., closely monitors her health.
“She was fatigued, not herself, not eating—I couldn’t make out what it was. I thought it might be chronic sinusitis. But then one night she started coughing,” Osborne said.
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Emmani coughed for four hours straight, and Osborne got in touch with her primary care physician and was told to take her daughter immediately to the emergency room. There, she tested positive for whooping cough.
The family quarantined and took preventative antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading through the household. Emmani was over the worst of it in about two weeks, her mother said, likely because she had been vaccinated.
Osborne advised parents to make sure their kids are vaccinated, too—and to watch out for unusual cold symptoms they might otherwise miss.
“It was very crazy hearing that she had whooping cough when she had already been vaccinated,” Osborne said. But, she said, “vaccinations are our best defense. I believe Emmani’s vaccine helped reduce or shorten her symptoms.”
2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Whooping cough cases skyrocketing in Pennsylvania, which has more than any other state (2024, October 7)
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Pennsylvania is littered with more than 2,500 natural and manmade inland lakes. So when you find the deepest of these tucked among state forests 130 miles east of Pittsburgh, you’ve probably stumbled upon a gem. Raystown Lake’s rural location makes it one of Pennsylvania’s best-kept secrets, often overlooked for other lakes closer to the state’s cities and civilization. But those who commit to the three-hour drive are rewarded with 8,300 acres of tranquil and clear water that reaches a maximum depth of 200 feet. While it’s not as deep as Wazee, Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake and scuba diving gem, it still offers great fishing, swimming, boating, and other water sports.
Raystown Lake can thank Raystown Dam for its impressive depth, as this manmade reservoir only came to be when the Juniata River, just north, was dammed to control flooding. While natural lakes in Pennsylvania don’t exceed 85 feet in depth, Raystown’s significantly deeper and colder areas make it a better spot for anglers seeking deep-water fish species worthy of their trophy cabinets. These game fish range from striped bass (stripers) and trout to walleye and Atlantic salmon.
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Raystown Lake is also surrounded by over 21,000 acres of pristine forest covering the encircling Allegheny mountains in earthy greens and browns — a picturesque setting for a day on the water. The lake’s size and numerous fishing spots along its 118-mile shoreline also help it feel uncrowded when you’re sharing the water with other fishing boats, pontoons, kayaks, and houseboats. Fishing Booker recommends looking for the largest stripers in Raystown’s deepest sections, while largemouth and smallmouth bass can be caught in shallower spots. You can also reel in 20-pound trout during winter and fall when fishing depths beyond 80 feet. Trolling, jigging, and ice fishing are also all possible here during the year.
Peaceful camping at Pennsylvania’s Raystown Lake
Karen Leisey/Shutterstock
After driving three hours here from Pittsburgh or 3.5 hours from Baltimore, no one expects you to turn around at the end of the day and drive all the way back. That’s why Raystown Lake has about 20 campgrounds for tents and RVs to choose from, as well as houseboats, glamping, B&Bs, hotels, and resorts. The campgrounds typically let you stay closest to the water and provide a serene setting to escape those everyday stressors for a while. They’re also generally more affordable.
If you love roughing it, Putt’s Camp is open year-round. This no-frills campground offers eight campsites for group bookings, including one waterfront spot. You also have a picnic shelter, fireplace, water pumps, and vault toilets. It’s close to state forest walking trails and a quiet section of the lake for swimming, fishing, and paddling. Seven Points Campground is another great option, especially for families and anglers wanting to catch largemouth and striped bass. Open from April to October, it has over 260 tent and RV sites, adjacent walking trails, and beach and marina access. Hot showers, electric and water hookups, playgrounds, a nearby grocery store, and picnic tables all make the camping experience much more comfortable.
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Raystown Lake is a year-round destination surrounded by natural scenery and charming towns, including Huntingdon, a picturesque Pennsylvania borough nestled along the Juniata River about 13 miles away. The borough also has the Lincoln Caverns, a small show cave where you can pan for real gems, in case you don’t have any luck fishing. Speaking of fishing, you’ll need to purchase a Pennsylvania fishing license online beforehand. And always stick to the state’s bag and size limits — it helps keep the lake well-stocked for everyone to enjoy.
Bones and skulls visible in the back seat of a car near an abandoned cemetery on Philadelphia’s outskirts led police to a basement filled with body parts, which authorities say were hoarded by a man now accused of stealing about 100 sets of human remains.
Officers say a Tuesday night arrest culminated a monthslong investigation into break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery, where at least 26 mausoleums and vaults had been forced open since early November.
Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.
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“They were in various states. Some of them were hanging, as it were. Some of them were pieced together, some were just skulls on a shelf,” Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said.
Most were in the basement, authorities said, and they also recovered jewelry believed to be linked to the graves. In one case, a pacemaker was still attached.
Police say Gerlach targeted mausoleums and underground vaults at the 1855 cemetery. It’s considered the country’s largest abandoned burial ground, according to Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery, which helps maintain the 160-acre landmark in Yeadon that’s home to an estimated 150,000 grave sites.
Police had been looking into the string of burglaries when an investigator checked Gerlach’s vehicle plates and found he had been near Yeadon repeatedly during the period when the burglaries occurred. Police say the break-ins centered on sealed vaults and mausoleums containing older burials, which had been smashed open or had stonework damaged to reach the remains inside.
He was arrested as he walked back toward his car with a crowbar, police said, and a burlap bag in which officers found the mummified remains of two small children, three skulls and other bones.
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Gerlach told investigators he took about 30 sets of human remains and showed them the graves he stole from, police said.
“Given the enormity of what we are looking at and the sheer, utter lack of reasonable explanation, it’s difficult to say right now, at this juncture, exactly what took place. We’re trying to figure it out,” Rouse told reporters.
Gerlach was charged with 100 counts each of abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen property, along with multiple counts of desecrating a public monument, desecrating a venerated object, desecrating a historic burial place, burglary, trespassing and theft.
He is jailed on $1 million bond. No lawyer was listed in court records. A message seeking comment was texted to a cellphone linked to him.
A sports field at Ridley Municipal Park in Delaware County has been shut down after police say off-road vehicles tore up the grass following a mid-December snowstorm, causing thousands of dollars in damage and threatening spring sports for hundreds of local children.
Ridley Township police say the field is now unsafe and unplayable after individuals illegally drove all-terrain vehicles and a dune buggy across the grass, leaving deep ruts and torn-up turf.
“The issue that we’re having is the field is unplayable now,” Sgt. Mark McKinney, of the Ridley Township Police Department, said.
Police believe the damage happened when the suspects were “joy riding” on the field after snowfall, performing donuts that dug deep grooves into the ground.
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“We believe they were joy riding. They did some donuts in the grass, and it dug up some big ruts into the grass, which causes a problem for when the kids have to go back out on the field in the spring,” McKinney said.
Investigators are asking for the public’s help identifying three individuals seen on surveillance video riding ATVs and a dune buggy through Ridley Township streets. Detectives believe they are responsible for an estimated $5,000 to $10,000 in damage to the park field.
Repairing the field will not be quick or simple, police said.
“It’s not just something that you can just go out there and patch right away,” McKinney said. “It’s something that’s going to take time.”
The repair process involves laying new soil, rolling the field and growing new grass — a timeline that could disrupt the upcoming sports season.
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“You can’t have the kids on there while the grass is growing or the grass won’t grow,” McKinney said. “So it’s set up quite a bit of a dilemma for us.”
The damage is especially personal for McKinney, who also serves as a coach for Ridley Youth Lacrosse. Fellow coach Matt Flynn said the damaged field is their primary game field, with the season scheduled to begin in less than two months.
“Right now, the field would be unplayable because any kid would turn their ankle in the ruts,” Flynn said.
Flynn added that the situation is frustrating after months of work maintaining the field.
“It’s more disappointment because we work so hard to get that field into good shape, and now we just have to start again and do more work, and then find other fields to play on during the season,” he said.
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Township officials are currently gathering repair estimates, but the field will remain closed until it is safe for play.
Police say the suspects could face charges including trespassing and criminal mischief. Anyone who recognizes the individuals seen in the surveillance footage is urged to contact Ridley Township police detectives.
