Mississippi
Whooping cough cases rise in Mississippi. Where are most cases reported? What are symptoms?
Whooping cough: Symptoms, causes and treatments
Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection known for severe coughing fits and a distinctive “whoop” sound.
Whooping cough cases in Mississippi are on the rise, already surpassing the total number reported for all of last year, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can cause serious breathing problems and even life-threatening complications. This bacterial infection can affect both children and adults, though it is more critical in infants and toddlers.
The state Department of Health said 60 whooping cough cases have been reported between Jan. 1 and Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
District 2 — which includes Lee, Tishomingo and Benton counties — reported the highest number of whooping cough cases, with 25 as of Tuesday.
District 5, which includes Hinds, Rankin and Madison counties, has reported eight cases. District 8, which includes Forrest, Lamar and Jones counties, has reported fewer than five cases.
Theresa Kittle, epidemiology program director at the Mississippi State Department of Health, said in 2024, “there were 49 pertussis cases reported to MSDH. This includes both confirmed and probable cases.”
Have whooping cough cases increased in Mississippi since 2017?
According to the state Department of Health, an average of 44 whooping cough cases between 2017 and 2019 were reported to MSDH each year.
Kittle stated from 2020 to 2023, the average number of reported cases dropped to five per year, reflecting a nationwide trend.
Kittle said, however, reported cases of pertussis increased across the United States and Mississippi in 2024, “indicating a return to more typical trends.”
In 2025, reported pertussis cases have varied weekly, ranging from zero to seven, with an average of three cases reported per week.
Kittle said there are peaks in reported cases of whooping cough every few years. Kittle said whooping cough is a common disease in the state and country.
“Pertussis cases can occur year-round,” Kittle said.
According to the American Lung Association, the illness is typically at its peak in the summer and fall months.
What are symptoms of whooping cough?
Whooping cough presents as the common cold initially, the according to the CDC, so watching for signs is important. If it’s whooping cough, symptoms tend to play out in three stages.
Stage 1: For a week or two, whooping cough presents as a cold. Those symptoms include:
- A runny or stuffy nose
- A low-grade fever under 100.4°F
- A mild cough could be present
- A more serious symptom that could appear early in babies is apnea (life-threatening pauses in breathing) that could result in cyanosis (when the skin turns blue or purple)
Stage 2: One to two weeks after becoming sick, coughing fits may develop. Some coughs will turn into paroxysms, which the CDC defines as “rapid, violent, and uncontrolled coughing fits.” This can last up to 10 weeks but is less likely to be severe or long-lasting the older you get, unless an individual is unvaccinated, the CDC states.
What to identify during coughing fits:
- A high-pitched “whoop” sound at the end of each coughing fit
- Vomiting due to excessive coughing
- Fatigue after coughing spells
- Breathing struggles
Stage 3: Recovery can last for up to three weeks. An individual’s cough will begin to diminish but may flare up again if another infection or illness is contracted.
Keep in mind that “coughing fits can return many months after the whooping cough illness started,” the CDC states.
Deaths due to whooping cough are “rare,” according to the Mayor Clinic.
Who is most at-risk of contracting whooping cough?
Age and underlying medical conditions can increase someone’s risk for getting a severe case of whooping cough.
Kittle said infants under 1-year-old are at the “greatest risk” for whooping cough and severe complications due to their immune systems still developing. Kittle said this age group “continues to have the highest reported rate of pertussis.”
Kittle noted that individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as immunocompromising conditions or moderate to severe asthma, are also at high risk for severe whooping cough infections.
“It’s especially important to prevent these people from getting sick,” Kittle said.
How to prevent whooping cough?
Good hygiene practices are recommended to help prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses that cause many respiratory illnesses.
Preventive antibiotics may be administered to individuals exposed to whooping cough to reduce the risk of illness.
The best way to prevent whooping cough is through “vaccination,” Kittle said, adding that the CDC recommends whooping cough vaccination for everyone.
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — Gas prices along the Mississippi Gulf Coast have jumped to nearly $3 a gallon, up from $2.41 just two days ago, according to AAA.
AAA said the increase is driven by two factors: the U.S.-Iran conflict, which has shut down a key Middle East oil route and prompted attacks on refineries, and a seasonal fuel blend switch that adds up to 15 cents a gallon on its own.
Uber Eats driver James Adams said he noticed the increase immediately.
“It actually jumped like 50 to 60 cents in one day,” Adams said.
Adams said the higher cost to fill his tank cuts directly into his delivery earnings.
“We’re working basically for pennies on the dollar already — and once you factor that in with traffic and the mileage you have to go — the gas is outrageous,” Adams said.
DoorDash driver Daniel Yelle said the spike will strain his weekly budget.
“I fill up about twice a week going to and from work and DoorDash — and that’s going to hurt my budget,” Yelle said.
FedEx driver Cecil Banks said there is little that workers can do about the rise in prices.
“As long as there is wars — the price of gas is going to go up for everybody — so it’s just an unfortunate situation,” Banks said.
Banks noted that even though Mississippi’s prices remain below the national average, not driving is not an option for working families.
“What can you do? A lot of people have families — they have to go get their kids — they have to go back and forth to work,” Banks said.
Yelle echoed that sentiment.
“They don’t pay us enough for the higher gas prices,” Yelle said.
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Mississippi
It’s 2,350 miles long, spans 31 US states and is home to a 100kg animal with a tongue that looks like a worm | Discover Wildlife
The Mississippi River flows for around 2,350 miles through the heart of the US. It drains an area of 1.2 million square miles – that’s roughly 40% of the country – and at certain points is 11 miles wide. It is North America’s second longest river, behind the Missouri River.
Rising from Lake Itasca in Minnesota, the Mississippi winds southwards through a range of environments, draining water from 31 US states before reaching its delta at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.
The sheer size of the river and the diversity of habitats it passes through make it a refuge for a huge range of animal species, including more than 260 fish, 326 birds, 50 mammals and at least 145 amphibians and reptiles, according to the National Park Service.
There are many weird and wonderful animals living within the Mississippi’s vast waters, but surely one of the strangest is the alligator snapping turtle.
This prehistoric-looking reptile is massive. It can weigh up to 100kg and males can grow well over half a metre long, making it the largest freshwater turtle in North America.
And as if its size wasn’t enough, the alligator snapper has a host of other characteristics that make it one of the Mississippi’s most striking creatures, including a dark, spiky shell (known as carapace), a brick-like head and a sharp, hooked beak. With such a formidable appearance, it’s easy to see how the turtle got its ‘alligator’ name.
But perhaps the turtle’s most curious feature is a worm-like appendage found on its tongue, which it uses as a lure to catch prey, such as fish, amphibians and invertebrates. Alligator snappers are also quite happy scavenging for food.
More amazing wildlife stories from around the world
NIL money comes with a price. More specifically, a tax bill.
The Mississippi legislature is trying to reduce that burden for college athletes who play there.
Via Bea Anhuci of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi House of Representatives has passed a bill that would exempt NIL earnings from state income tax.
It’s a recruiting tool for Ole Miss and Mississippi State, one that would put the Mississippi schools on equal footing with other states that host SEC universities. Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have no state income tax, and Arkansas carved out NIL earnings from the state’s income tax burden in 2025.
Mississippi currently charges a four-percent tax on anyone making more than $10,000 per year.
NIL earnings remain subject to federal income tax.
The bill will have to also pass the Mississippi Senate, and the governor would then be required to sign it into law.
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