Flu, whooping cough cases on the rise in Kansas City
The Kansas City Health Department is urging residents to get vaccinated against influenza and pertussis as cases rise in the city.
So far this year, 75 cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, have been reported in Kansas City, according to a news release from Kansas City Health Department spokesperson April Leonard.
Most cases stem from unvaccinated children and contact with others in the household, Leonard said.
Additionally, 8,049 cases of influenza have been reported in Kansas City in 2025, Leonard said. The highest rates were reported in children ages 0-15 and adults ages 25-49.
The health department is offering extended hours on Wednesdays, with the clinic open until 7 p.m., for flu and pertussis vaccines, Leonard said. The clinic will return to normal hours after Oct. 29.
How do I know if I have the flu?
Symptom onset for the flu is often abrupt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms can include a fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches and fatigue.
Most people who contract the flu will recover within a few days to two weeks, according to the CDC. Some complications that can arise from the flu include sinus and ear infections and pneumonia.
Children experiencing difficulty breathing, blue lips and face, chest pain, severe muscle pain, dehydration, seizures, or a fever above 104 degrees should seek medical attention immediately, according to the CDC.
Adults experiencing difficulty breathing, chest or abdomen pain, persistent dizziness or confusion, seizures, severe muscle pain or severe weakness should seek medical attention immediately, according to the CDC.
How do I know if I have pertussis?
Whooping cough symptoms vary depending on a person’s age and vaccination status, according to the CDC. Babies less than 1 year old have the greatest risk of severe complications from whooping cough.
Those with whooping cough can be contagious from the start of symptoms and over two weeks after symptoms start, according to the CDC. The disease is spread by liquid particles in the air.
It typically takes from five to 10 days for symptoms to appear after exposure to whooping cough bacteria, according to the CDC. Symptoms typically start with a runny or stuffy nose, low-grade fever and mild cough.
One to two weeks after initial symptoms begin, those with whooping cough may start to experience coughing fits, according to the CDC. Coughing fits typically create “a high-pitched ‘whoop,’” after inhaling after a coughing fit and can include vomiting, drowsiness after a coughing fit, difficult sleeping, difficulty breathing and potentially fractured ribs.
