Whooping Cough On The Rise In Sacramento County

There's an outbreak of whooping cough in Sacramento County and health experts are recommending that people get vaccinated.

Sacramento County health officials say there have been 69 confirmed cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, so far this year.  Last year, there were only 59 for the entire calendar year. 

According to the county, roughly a dozen of this year's cases are children aged one or younger, many are teenagers, and just three are adults.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease often characterized by a distinctive cough that includes a loud gasp - or whoop.

Sacramento County health officials are recommending vaccination, particularly for anyone who's been exposed to pertussis, or works around children. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to the disease.

In 2010, there was a major pertussis outbreak in California, with over 9,000 cases reported. 10 infants died.  The California Department of Public Health says booster shots are needed throughout life for pertussis, because the vaccine's effectiveness wears off over time.