Whooping cough kills King County infant
Dec 18, 2012, 10:07 AM | Updated: 10:28 am
An infant has died of whooping cough in King County, the first infant death from the disease this year in Washington.
The newborn died December 13 but King County officials are not releasing other details.
Public Health Seattle and King County has recorded more than 750 cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, so far this year. It’s the highest number in more than a decade.
Infants are most vulnerable for serious illness from whooping cough. They can’t be vaccinated until they’re two months old. Expectant mothers are advised to get vaccinated between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, which provides temporary immunity to newborns.
Statewide, 348 infants have been diagnosed with pertussis this year and 70 of them were hospitalized.
KIRO Radio’s Tim Haeck contributed to this report
