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Whooping Cough Cases Pass 1,000 |
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4/24/2012 |
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As always, Island Drug / LaConner Drug is your most convenient
vaccination destination and we have the Tdap vaccine in stock.
Please see the news relase from the state DOH below and don't hesitate
to contact one of our pharmacists if we can answer any questions.
For
immediate release: April
24, 2012 (12-045)
Contacts:
Tim Church, Communications Office
360-236-4077
Whooping
cough case count passes 1,000 cases in WA — epidemic continues
Surpasses
total for all of 2011 before the end of April
OLYMPIA – Washington’s
whooping cough epidemic continues on a record pace that has already
surpassed 1,000 reported cases. The total of 1,008 as of April 21 is
more than reported in all of 2011 and is the highest number of cases
since 1,026 were reported in all of 2005.
Our
state is on pace to reach more than 3,000 cases for the year; levels
that haven’t been seen in more than six decades.
“We’re
very concerned about the risk to infants, especially because of how
quickly whooping cough is spreading,” says Secretary of Health, Mary
Selecky. “Whooping cough can be life threatening for infants, and
they’re too young to get enough doses of vaccine to be protected.
That’s why we want everyone else to make sure they’re vaccinated
against whooping cough.”
Already
this year 71 infants under a year old have been reported to have
whooping cough. Eighteen of them have been hospitalized. No babies have
died in 2012, but two babies died in 2010 and two in 2011.
Many
cases are being reported in school age children. The vaccine that young
children get wears off over time, so all children age 11-12 should get
a whooping cough booster shot, called Tdap.
The
Tdap vaccine is also recommended for pregnant women and women who
recently gave birth. Getting vaccinated before giving birth helps
prevent the mother from spreading the illness to her newborn. A new
Department of Health whooping cough public service announcement
featuring a Snohomish mom whose 27 day old baby last year died
highlights the need to vaccinate.
“This
is what we’re trying to prevent,” says Dr. Maxine Hayes, State Health
Officer. “When adults get sick with whooping cough it can be miserable,
but when babies get the disease, they often must be hospitalized
because it’s difficult for them to feed, sleep, and breathe.”
Selecky and Hayes urge all teens and adults to check their immunization
status. Many health care providers use the state’s immunization
registry and can check which vaccines have been given. Most health
insurance carriers cover the whooping cough vaccine; adults should
double check with their health plan. Whooping cough vaccines are
available to all Washington children under 19 years old through health
care provider offices participating in the state’s Childhood Vaccine
Program.
More information on whooping cough disease and who should be vaccinated
is available
on our website (www.doh.wa.gov).
The number of reported cases is updated every Tuesday afternoon.
The Department
of Health website (www.doh.wa.gov)
is your source for a
healthy dose of information. Also, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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