Whooping Cough Rate Soaring Toward Record High in Contra Costa

The current rate of whooping cough infections is headed toward a new record, surpassing last year's record total of 205, according to a warning from Contra Costa County health officials.

Of the 733 whooping cough infections reported in the state as of May 3, more than 10 percent — 78 — were in Contra Costa, according to Contra Costa Health Services. The county makes up 2.8 percent of the state's population, according to the latest state estimates.

Three cases in Contra Costa were infants who had to be hospitalized infants, county officials said. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is highly contagious and can be fatal for babies. All residents should have up-to-date vaccinations, and those who are sick should remain home, according to health officials.

“We’re seeing more than 10 times the number of cases we had in 2009 and are on pace to pass last year’s record,” county Health Services immunization coordinator Erika Jenssen said in a statement. “Getting parents and children vaccinated against whooping cough and other contagious diseases is a vital part of staying healthy.”

The vaccine can be obtained from regular health care providers, Jenssen said. The health department has weekly drop-in clinics for those not covered by health insurance. Clinic times and locations can be found at www.cchealth.org.

Under a new state law, all students in California schools entering seventh-grade through 12th-grade this fall must have proof that they’ve had a whooping cough booster, or Tdap.

“It’s a safety measure to ensure kids don’t bring illnesses home from school and spread them to their families, particularly infants,” Jenssen said. “We’ve seen that these types of laws do have an effect, and that is more community immunity and less illness.”

For more information, go to http://cchealth.org/topics/pertussis/.