Whooping cough makes a comeback

Violent outbreaks of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in Washington and Iowa are highlighting the need for continued prevention and vaccination to prevent complications that can lead to death.

Roughly nine out of every 100,000 Americans get pertussis each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the rate of infection has been rising over the last 20 years.

In Santa Rosa County, the number of diagnosed cases of pertussis shot up from five in 2008 to 80 in 2009, the last year for which data is available.

For more on this story, see the April 19 issue of the Navarre Press, or subscribe online.