Whooping cough in Minnesota has hit a 12-year high—and most of the known cases are here in the Twin Cities metro, the Star Tribune reports.
By the numbers: The state Department of Health had received 2,324 reports of the illness from health care providers, medical labs, schools and child care centers as of last week.
The last time the state logged higher case numbers was in 2012.
Threat level: The cases included 77 infants and 34 people who required hospitalization, per the Strib.
What to know: The illness, also known aspertussis, starts as a cold before turning into a long-lasting cough. Without antibiotics, it can be contagious for several weeks.
Vaccines, available for both adults and children, can help protect people and reduce spread, health officials say.
