Health Alert: West Virginia Doctors Warn of Spike in ‘100-Day Cough’ Cases Across These Counties

Health officials in Charleston and the Eastern Panhandle are issuing a new advisory this week as a sharp rise in a highly contagious respiratory illness begins to impact communities across the Mountain State.

While West Virginia hospitals have been managing the winter flu season, doctors are reporting a concerning uptick in Pertussis (Whooping Cough). Often called the “100-Day Cough” due to its exhausting longevity, the bacterial infection is surging in areas with high commuter traffic and university populations.

According to the West Virginia Department of Health (DHHR), the number of confirmed cases in the first weeks of 2026 has exceeded the typical winter average, with the infection tracking closely with outbreaks in neighboring Maryland and Pennsylvania.

The Hotspots: Where is it Spreading?

The outbreak is currently most intense in three specific regions. Residents in these counties should be on high alert:

• The Eastern Panhandle (Berkeley & Jefferson Counties): Due to the high number of residents commuting to DC and Maryland (where cases are already high), this region is currently seeing the highest transmission rates in the state.
• Monongalia County (Morgantown): University health officials are tracking a cluster of cases among students and staff, which has begun to spill over into local K-12 schools.
• Kanawha County: Urgent care centers in the Charleston and South Charleston areas have reported an increase in patients—particularly adults—arriving with severe, lingering coughs.

Is it a Cold, the Flu, or the ‘100-Day Cough’?

The “100-Day Cough” is dangerous because it is a “master of disguise.” For the first week, it feels exactly like a common cold or a mild sinus infection. By the time the severe coughing fits begin, the person has already been contagious for days.

Here is how to distinguish the symptoms of the “100-Day Cough” (Pertussis) from the flu strains circulating in West Virginia right now:

• The Cough Type: Pertussis causes violent, rapid coughing fits that may end with a high-pitched “whoop” sound or vomiting. The flu typically causes a dry, hacking cough.