Pertussis is a disease of the respiratory tract that makes it hard to clear mucus from the throat and lungs. It is also known as whooping cough because of the “whooping” sound that people make when trying to breathe for air after coughing. Bordetella pertussis, a bacteria found in the mouth, nose, and throat of infected people, causes this infection.
Pertussis is a contagious bacterial respiratory infection that spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes or has prolonged close face-to-face contact.
If not treated, even mild pertussis can spread for weeks after coughing starts.
Pertussis infections can happen at any time of the year.
Symptoms of pertussis
It may take 5 to 21 days (on average 7 to 10 days) from exposure to the bacteria to the start of symptoms.
Pertussis often begins with cold-like symptoms, which can make early illness difficult to recognize in the early stages. Symptoms may include:
- worsening cough over time, often lasting several weeks;
- severe coughing fits that may cause gagging or vomiting;
- coughing episodes followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound; or
- pauses in breathing, especially in infants.
Babies and young children may not cough. But they can have a serious condition called apnea, which causes pauses in breathing.
For older children and adults, symptoms might be milder, and the cough can last more than a week.
Without treatment, people with pertussis can spread the illness for up to 21 days after their symptoms begin.
Complications of pertussis
Severe cases of pertussis can cause:
- Pneumonia (a lung infection)
- Seizures
- Brain damage
These complications are more likely in babies and people who have not had all their vaccines.
Who is at risk?
Some people are more at risk of getting very sick from pertussis. These include:
- Babies under one year old, especially if they haven’t had their vaccines. Most pertussis deaths happen in children under six months.
- Pregnant people who have not been fully vaccinated.
For the best protection against pertussis, it is recommended that Yukoners complete the routine vaccination schedule as follows:
- Complete all immunizations in the routine childhood series
- A booster at 4 to 6 years;
- A booster in grade 9; and
- an adult booster shot at or after age 19.
Pregnant people should get the pertussis vaccine during every pregnancy, ideally at 27 weeks or later.
To get a copy of your immunization records in the Yukon, contact your local health centre:
- Whitehorse Health Center: 867-667-8864
- Your rural health centre
Note: If you obtained vaccines in another jurisdiction and do not have a record of them, you will need to get in touch with them to get a copy. Please connect with your local health centre for advice on how to do that.
Diagnosis and treatment
Anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with pertussis are advised to stay home and avoid contact with others, especially infants, young children and pregnant people, and seek health care as needed.
If you or your child has a persistent new cough or symptoms consistent with pertussis, contact your primary health care provider, local health centre or walk-in clinic for assessment and guidance.
To diagnose pertussis, a health care provider will:
- assess your symptoms; and
- may take a swab from your nose or throat and send it to the lab for pertussis testing or other respiratory illnesses as needed.
If you have pertussis, your health care provider will likely prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.
Until you’ve taken antibiotics for at least five days, or it’s been 21 days since your symptoms began, you are still contagious:
- stay home from work, school and group activities; and
- avoid contact with babies, young children and pregnant people.
Contact or exposure
YCDC will conduct contact tracing for high risk contacts of known cases, including:
- pregnant people in their third trimester; and
- infants under one year of age.
If you are a contact of a known case and have a high-risk individual (i.e., an infant under one year or a pregnant person) living in your home, please call YCDC at 867-667-8323.
If you are a contact of a known case and work in a daycare or if your child is a contact and attends daycare, please call YCDC at 867-667-8323.
All other contacts to a positive case of pertussis, are recommended to:
- monitor for symptoms for 21 days after your last exposure;
- ensure your immunizations are up-to-date;
- avoid contact with high-risk individuals such as children under one year of age or pregnant people;
- stay home if symptoms develop;
- seek health care and possible testing with your primary care provider, local health centre or walk-in clinic; and
- wear a mask when presenting to care or in public
If your symptoms are severe or urgent care is required, please go to Whitehorse General Hospital or your rural Health Centre or community hospital.
If you were at any of the locations listed below on the specified dates and times and did not receive an exposure letter from Yukon Communicable Disease Control, follow the guidance on this page.
| Location | Date | Time | Monitor symptoms until |
| Basketball Jamboree - Canada Games Centre | Wednesday February 11th and Thursday February 12th | All day event | March 5th, 2026 |
When direct notification is possible, targeted exposure letters are sent to individuals who may have been affected. If direct notification is not possible, exposure locations and details will be posted here.
What to do if you may have been exposed
High-risk contacts
Yukon Communicable Disease Control conducts contact tracing for high-risk contacts of confirmed cases, including:
pregnant people in their third trimester; and
infants under one year of age.
If you are a contact of a confirmed case and have a high-risk individual living in your home, such as an infant under one year of age or a pregnant person, call Yukon Communicable Disease Control at 867-667-8323.
If you are a contact of a confirmed case and:
work in a daycare; or
your child is a contact and attends daycare
call 867-667-8323 for guidance.
All other contacts to a positive case of pertussis are recommended to:
- monitor for symptoms for 21 days after your last exposure;
- ensure your immunizations are up-to-date;
- avoid contact with high-risk individuals such as children under one year of age or pregnant people;
- stay home if symptoms develop;
- seek health care and possible testing with your primary care provider, local health centre or walk-in clinic; and
- wear a mask when presenting to care or in public
If your symptoms are severe or urgent care is required, please go to Whitehorse General Hospital or your rural Health Centre or community hospital.
For information, contact Yukon Communicable Disease Control:
Phone: 867-667-8323
Opening times: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm