(Pierre, SD) — The South Dakota Department of Health is reporting South Dakota’s first whooping cough death since 2023. It was announced Friday that a child has died from a combination of whooping cough and the flu. Officials are saying whooping cough is present in several communities across the state. State Epidemiologist Dr. Joshua Clayton says taking preventative measures like washing hands often and staying current with the pertussis vaccine are the best protection against infection.
