Whooping Caugh Outbreak Worst Since 1959

The CDC is stating that this year's whooping cough outbreak is the worst since 1959. From the Daily Mail:

Nearly 18,000 cases have been reported so far - more than twice the number seen at this point last year.

At this pace, the number of whooping cough cases will surpass every year since 1959.

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Health officials attributed the rise in whooping cough to the cyclical nature of the disease where the number of reported cases hits a peak every three to five years.

'The cyclical nature of the disease is really something we don't completely understand, but it seems to happen in all states across the nation,' health department spokesman Peter Constantakes told Reuters.

Other factors include families who choose not to vaccinate their children and the fact that many teens and adults who have not been immunized catch the cough but ignore it and pass it on.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial disease.

The whooping cough often begins with cold-like symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, or a fever and is accompanied by a mild cough that becomes more severe in the first or second week.

Coughing fits are often followed by a high-pitched whoop, giving the illness its name.

In rare cases it can be fatal, and nine children have died so far this year.