Pertussis cases more than doubled in Maine in January
Published: Feb. 16, 2019 at 7:55 PM EST
Reported cases of pertussis more than doubled in Maine last month, with most of the cases taking place in three counties.
Pertussis is a contagious disease that is also known as "whooping cough." The Bangor Daily News reports Maine had 55 reported cases of pertussis in January, up from 24 the previous January. The data is from a Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance report released in February.
Thirty-nine of the cases were in Hancock, York and Waldo counties. Hancock had the most with 16 while York had 13 and Waldo had 10. Maine CDC says more than half the cases affected children and teenagers between 11 and 19 years old.
Whooping cough can be deadly for babies. A vaccine is easily available
