By Joanne Faryon
SAN DIEGO — A KPBS investigation has found that nearly two out of three people diagnosed with whooping cough in San Diego County this year were fully immunized. California is in the midst of the worst whooping cough epidemic in 50 years.
The numbers raise questions about how well the vaccine works.
Whooping cough, or pertussis is a contagious upper respiratory illness that in adults can mimic a bad cold. But in babies it can be deadly. Eight babies have died in California from whooping cough since January.
KPBS examined data from San Diego County’s Health and Human Services Agency from this year so far. We found that of 332 confirmed cases of whooping cough, 197 of the people who got sick were up to date with their immunizations.
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