January 31st, 2011

The Bucks County Courier Times reports:

Montgomery County saw a dramatic rise in whooping cough cases last year, a national trend that prompted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a public health alert.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness characterized by a persistent loud cough that makes it hard to breathe. The disease most commonly affects infants and young children and can be deadly, especially in babies less than a year old.

Nationally, public health officials have been alarmed by recent outbreaks of the disease, particularly in California where it’s considered a statewide epidemic.

Read the full story: Increase in whooping cough cases prompts health alert