Whooping Cough Spreading in Iowa

Whooping Cough

State health officials reported Thursday that California is on track to break a 55-year record for pertussis infection in an epidemic that has already killed nine babies. Pertussis is spread throughout the state, in many cases confirmed in the western, southern, eastern and here in central Iowa last week.



whooping cough comes in waves, and this year it is new. Pertussis is a serious disease that moves through the state. 34 per cent increase in the number of cases this year compared with the previous five years on average, but tend to be cyclical whooping cough, so we will see this increase every 3 to 5 years, "said deputy state epidemiologist Ann Garvey.

Whooping cough can be particularly dangerous for the elderly and infants. Health officials say there is a vaccine called T-DAP youth and adults get the disease. The vaccine is called T-DAP youth and adults get the disease. South Australia's Chief Medical Officer Professor Paddy Phillips says vaccination is the best prevention. Neonates are particularly vulnerable and health experts want more adults to be vaccinated to curb the spread.