Whooping cough cases soar in southern Arizona Associated Press
May. 4, 2005 07:00 AM
TUCSON - An outbreak of whooping cough in southern Arizona has grown to nearly 150 and is quickly moving through schools, health official say.
Letters have gone out to parents in all affected schools, telling them that if their child is coughing, do not send the child to school, said Lisa Hulette, Pima County epidemiologist.
"See a doctor and stay home until symptoms have disappeared," she advised.
Last week, 37 suspect cases at Red Rock Elementary School, in Pinal County, forced that school to shut down to try to keep the disease from spreading. Test results to confirm the cases are expected next week.
"We had an increased number of students absent and others with a variety of symptoms," said Mark Brauner, Red Rock principal.
Since the local outbreak began in October, 62 cases have been confirmed by tests in Pima County and another 80 possible cases have been reported. Most victims are 12 to 17.
Only about 30 cases were reported in Pima County last year.
The local outbreak mirrors a dramatic national increase, but an announcement Tuesday from the Food and Drug Administration may mean a bit of relief.
The first booster shot to protect adolescents against whooping cough has won government approval, offering a new tool to battle the return of the dangerous illness. Whooping cough once was thought to be wiped out because of effective vaccinations of babies and toddlers, but it turns out that protection wears off.
Or, maybe it is running rampant through the illegal alien population who never got shots in the first place?