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The largest whooping cough outbreak in half a century has been reported in the US
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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The largest whooping cough epidemic in the last half century has been recorded in the United States. This was announced during a press briefing by Ann Shukat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the press service of the oversight agency reports.
According to E. Shukat, the number of cases of whooping cough registered in 2012 approached 18 thousand. The largest outbreaks of the infection were recorded in the states of Washington and Wisconsin, in each of which the number of cases exceeded 3 thousand people. Nine cases of infection ended in death.
Washington State Health Secretary Mary Seletsky noted that the majority of patients are children and teenagers. In particular, the largest number of cases of whooping cough were recorded in the age groups of 10, 13 and 14 years. Americans of this age were vaccinated with a new vaccine, which has been administered since 1997.
In this regard, US health authorities intend to conduct an investigation to find a link between the use of the vaccine and the illness of adolescents. The head of the Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases of the CDC recommended that all American adults, including pregnant women, get a booster shot against whooping cough.
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