BROOKINGS Coughs and sneezes are on the rise. The South Dakota Department of Health considers Sept. 29 the beginning of the annual respiratory disease season. They report pertussis or whooping cough, influenza and COVID have all been spreading statewide since that time.
Brookings residents had a free opportunity to protect themselves when the Brookings County Pandemic Planning & Coordination Committee distributed both pertussis and influenza vaccinations on Oct. 28 at a public event held at Brookings High School. According to Brookings County Emergency Manager Bob Hill, they distributed 70 Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) shots that day. An additional 146 Tdap shots were later distributed at nursing homes in Brookings, for a total of 216 Tdap vaccinations given out locally. Hill said 500 Tdap shots originally sent to Brookings were requested by the USD Sanford School of Medicine for use there, and those were subsequently shipped to Vermillion. He said 73 influenza vaccinations were given out at the free Brookings event.
The latest pertussis data from the state health department was posted Nov. 12 and showed 170 cases in South Dakota, with 26 reported in Brookings County. The department said the current statewide pertussis totals are a 415% increase over the states five-year baseline of 33 cases. As of Oct. 28, the health department had reported 118 statewide cases of pertussis, with 13 in Brookings County. For the week ending Nov. 23, the CDC reported a nationwide total of 27,036 confirmed cases of pertussis. At the same point last year, the CDC had reported a nationwide total of just 5,626 pertussis cases. The CDC says vaccination is the best method of preventing pertussis.
Influenza is also continuing to spread. According to the state health departments Nov. 27 weekly influenza report, this season there have been a total of 139 influenza cases in South Dakota, with 60 of those listed as new cases for the week. The department reported eight influenza hospitalizations statewide but no deaths this season. There have been two influenza cases confirmed in Brookings County this season. For the week ending Nov. 23, the CDC reported a 2.5% increase over the prior weeks numbers of positive influenza tests nationwide. The CDC recommends an influenza vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older.
COVID also continues to circulate but at levels much lower than during the height of the pandemic. As of the week ending Nov. 27, the state health department reported a seasonal total of 2,579 cases of COVID in South Dakota. Year to date, the department reported a total of 15,302 cases in South Dakota, which isa 71% decrease from the states five-year baseline of COVID cases. Since the beginning of this years respiratory disease season, there have been 28 hospitalizations and 12 deaths in South Dakota due to COVID. In Brookings County, there have been 44 cases this season with no hospitalizations or deaths.
Contact Jay Roe at [email protected].
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