Pertussis Cases Top 500 in 2014

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Pertussis cases continue to mount in San Diego County with 520 confirmed cases in 2014, compared with just 70 at this point in 2013. The total for all of 2013 was 431 cases.

There were 21 new cases reported this week where the public may have been exposed, according to the County Health and Human Services Agency. Those new cases are listed below.

“Pertussis tends to peak in cycles and the last time we saw activity like this was in 2010 when a record 1,179 cases were reported,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “We strongly encourage both children and adults to be up-to-date on their vaccinations, especially if they are around young children.”

A typical case of pertussis starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fever, if present, is usually mild. Antibiotics can lessen the severity of symptoms and prevent the spread of disease to others.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following vaccination schedule:

Parents can obtain the DTaP vaccine series and the Tdap booster shot for themselves and their children through their primary care physicians. Local retail pharmacies offer vaccinations for a fee, and anyone who is not covered by a medical insurance plan can get the shot from a County Public Health Center at minimal or no cost.

For more information about whooping cough and ongoing vaccination clinics, call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966, or visit www.sdiz.org.

All of the new pertussis cases reported at the following locations were up-to-date for their age on immunizations, except for the one case noted:                                            

Exit mobile version