Whooping cough making a comeback across the U.S.
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There has been a spike in the number of whooping cough cases around the country. Video by ktnv.com
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(KTNV) -- It is an old-time disease but the Center for Disease Control says it might be making a comeback.
We are talking about Pertussis, better known as Whooping Cough.
The number of cases nationwide has more than doubled since last year. There are already 18,000 cases reported this year and nine people have died.
There have not been any deaths yet in Nevada but the Southern Nevada Health District says there have been 22 cases since January. Seven of those were children less than one year of age.
Children at the age are especially susceptible to Whooping Cough -- which is highly contagious. Babies are supposed to get their first vaccines when they are just two months old and children in Clark County School District need to be immunized before they enter kindergarten.
But, the health district says parents and child caregivers may want to get a shot.
The CDC is investigating this spike in cases. They suspect it may be an evolution in the bacteria that is causing the illnesses or perhaps shortcomings in the current vaccine.
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