Miami Congressman Carlos Curbelo has been diagnosed with whooping cough, also called pertussis.
Curbelo’s office says the freshman Republican was vaccinated against whooping cough as a child but never got the recommended booster shots as an adult.
The disease is typically marked by a severe cough that is often followed by a deep breath that sounds like a “whoop.”
Wolfson Children's Hospital Chief of Infectious Diseases, Dr Mobeen Rathore, says children should be vaccinated before they start attending school.
“It’s extremely important because that’s the highest risk group for getting the infection, having a poor outcome and even death.”
He says up to 80 percent of babies who get whooping cough get it from family members at home, so adults in households with young children should get booster shots.
Congressman Carlos Curbelo was vaccinated as a child but did not receive any booster shots. He’s been sick for several weeks, but is likely no longer contagious.
Rathore says there’s an increase in whooping cough cases across the country, and with a new school year ahead, he urges parents to vaccinate their children.