Whooping cough cases surge in number in California

LOS ANGELES -- Whooping cough is an epidemic in California and is on pace to break a 50-year record for infections for the year.

As of June 15, California had 910 recorded cases of the contagious disease, and five babies, all under 3 months of age, have died from the disease this year.

"Children should be vaccinated against the disease, and parents, family members and caregivers of infants need a booster shot," California Department of Public Health director Dr. Mark Horton said Wednesday.

This year's surge in cases of whooping cough, known as pertussis, is a fourfold increase from the same period last year, when 219 cases were recorded.

At least 600 additional cases are under investigation by local health departments. Officials fear that with the number of known and suspected cases at 1,510, the state is on track to beat 1958's record 3,847 cases. Midway through that year, 1,200 cases had been reported