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Los Angeles: Whooping Couigh/Pertussis

Printed From: COVID-19 / South Africa Omicron Variant
Category: Coronavirus Pandemic: State Discussion Forums
Forum Name: California
Forum Description: (General discussion & latest news)
URL: http://www.avianflutalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=38830
Printed Date: March 29 2024 at 8:15am


Topic: Los Angeles: Whooping Couigh/Pertussis
Posted By: Technophobe
Subject: Los Angeles: Whooping Couigh/Pertussis
Date Posted: February 28 2019 at 5:57am
Whooping cough outbreak spreads in LA - hitting 30 teens at exclusive $40,000-a-year private school

    60 teens have contracted whooping cough in LA County since November
    But now, 30 cases have sprung up at Harvard-Westlake, with students being sent home from the $40,000-a-year school

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 19:15, 27 February 2019 | Updated: 20:54, 27 February 2019

An outbreak of whooping cough is spreading across Los Angeles, now hitting an exclusive private school.

About 60 teenagers had been diagnosed with the viral respiratory infection in LA County since last November.

But now, 30 cases have sprung up at Harvard-Westlake, prompting school nurses to send kids home from the $40,000-a-year establishment to curb the spread.

Whooping cough has hit Harvard-Westlake school (pictured), health officials say

Whooping cough has hit Harvard-Westlake school (pictured), health officials say

Public health officials say they do not believe that this is fueled by a lack of vaccinations, as is the case with the measles outbreak.

At Harvard-Westlake, for example, only 18 of the 1,600 students had foregone vaccines, including the crucial Tdap that helps to fend off whooping cough.

But vaccine effectiveness does fade after five to 10 years, putting the 16- to 18-year-olds at higher risk than younger immunized kids.

'We have gone above and beyond,' Ari Engelberg, spokesman for the Department of Health for LA County, told City News Service.

Concerns about whooping cough have been growing in recent years as the rates of diagnoses and fatalities have climbed.

Whooping cough is known clinically as pertussis, earning its catchy name from the 'whoop' sound that sufferers make when they cough.

It is rarely fatal in teens and adults, who have built-up immunity, but it can be fatal in infants. What's more, treating it and tracking down people affected is no small feat for public health officials.

The vaccine has helped to curb rates, though experts warn it is imperfect. It's likely there are other factors at play, but it's not clear what.

Source:    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6752669/Whooping-cough-outbreak-spreads-LA-hitting-30-teens-exclusive-private-school.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6752669/Whooping-cough-outbreak-spreads-LA-hitting-30-teens-exclusive-private-school.html

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Replies:
Posted By: EdwinSm,
Date Posted: March 01 2019 at 2:11am
Interesting news given that the vaccination rate was very high at nearly 99%.



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