Vermont Health Dept. Says Whooping Cough Down

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The Vermont Health Department says the number of whooping cough cases in the state has dropped in half since a vaccination and public information campaign was launched in December.

Last year the state reported a record number of 645 cases of whooping cough, a number the state considered an epidemic.

On Dec. 19 the health department sponsored a special vaccination day to immunize people. Since then hundreds more Vermonters have been vaccinated.

Last year at this time 89 whooping cough cases had been reported. So far this year there have been 42 cases.

Health Commissioner Dr. Harry Chen says the numbers show the vaccination and information efforts are working.

Whooping cough is a highly infectious bacterial disease that is most serious for babies too young to be fully vaccinated.

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