County News Service

February 28, 2015 (San Diego County) - The number of pertussis, or whooping cough, cases reported in San Diego County last year reached a new high, surpassing the previous record by nearly 900 cases, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency has announced.

June 23, 2014 (San Diego)— “Pertussis activity continues at a high level locally and the California Department of Public Health declared a pertussis epidemic in the state,” Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., San Diego County public health officer has announced.

By Miriam Raftery

November 2, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Five new cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, have been reported at area schools this week according to the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency.  The new cases include a student at Maryland Avenue Elementary School in La Mesa here in East County.

There have been 216 cases of pertussis reported in the county so far this year, compared to last year’s total of 165 cases for the entire year, so the rate of whooping cough is on the rise.

July 24, 2013

A four-month-old child who travelled out of San Diego Lindbergh Field may have exposed fellow travelers to pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory illness which is also known as whooping cough, according to San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) officials.

The child, who was up-to-date with vaccinations for his age, travelled with a parent from San Diego to Norfolk, Virginia on Friday, July 19. The child was seen by medical staff at Rady Children’s Hospital shortly before leaving. Tests later confirmed the child had pertussis.

Whooping Cough Cases On Track To Hit 300 for Region

July 27, 2011 (San Diego)—Under a new law, middle and high school students have to show proof they’ve received a booster shot for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis( also known as whooping cough) in order to enroll in school.

Babies Are at Higher Risk For Complications from Whooping Cough

December 5, 2010 (San Diego)00The pertussis epidemic has resulted in 41 hospitalizations, most of them infants, San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency announced on December 1st. . The total number of whooping cough cases jumped to 960, including two infants who died.

Public urged to get vaccines, now available at clinics

September 8, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) updated 4 p.m.– A five-year-old at Boulder Oaks Elementary School in Alpine is among 11 new cases of whooping cough reported by the San Diego County Department of Health & Human Services last week.

The County urges people to get whooping cough vaccinations from their family physician.  "However, if an individual does not have a family doctor, the vaccine is also available at the County’s seven public health centers at minimal or no cost; one of them is located at 855 East Madison in El Cajon," County spokesman Jose Alvarez told East County Magazine.