US whooping outbreak
October 19, 2010
THE US state of California has
clocked its highest rate of whooping
cough infections since 1955, with
studies linking drops in vaccine
uptake an increases in infection.
According to the Centres for
Disease Control and Outbreak’s
figures, in 2008 only 5,9% of
American adults reported that they
had the advised whooping cough
booster shot (although it is
estimated that this figure could be
higher at 14.6%- taking into
account its self-reporting status) .
Last year in the US around
17,000 people presented to their
doctor with whooping cough, and
this year California’s massive
outbreak has seen 5,270 infants
fall sick with whooping cough, and
nine infants die from the infection.
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