US EditionThird Kentucky Infant Dies of Whooping Cough
Kentucky reports 566 pertussis cases with low school vaccination rates linked to three infant deaths in the worst outbreak since 2012, officials said.
- On Monday, the Kentucky Department for Public Health said a third infant died from whooping cough in the last 12 months amid the commonwealth's worst outbreak since 2012 with 566 cases as of Nov. 19.
- Kentucky's school immunization data show only 86% of kindergartners and 85% of seventh graders are vaccinated, and health officials confirmed none of the infants and their mothers had pertussis vaccination.
- Whooping cough is highly contagious and begins with mild symptoms, which can progress after one to two weeks to violent coughing fits, putting infants younger than 1 at greatest risk.
- Health officials urged Kentuckians to get vaccinated and stay current; Dr. Steven Stack recommended boosters for teens and adults every 10 years and Tdap for pregnant women each pregnancy.
- The three infant deaths mark the state's first fatalities since 2018, and infants younger than 1 year old face the greatest risk as DTaP vaccine starts at 2 months.
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Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough • Kentucky Lantern
Pertussis or whopping cough is most dangerous to babies. Vaccination beginning at 2 months is the best way to prevent it. (Getty Images)A third unvaccinated infant in Kentucky has died of pertussis as public health officials urge Kentuckians to get vaccinated against the highly contagious disease also known as whooping cough. Kentucky’s three infant deaths from whooping cough over the past 12 months are the state’s first reported since 2018. Non…
Third infant pertussis death reported in KY in 12 months
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) - State health officials with the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) announced a third infant has died from pertussis, which is a highly contagious respiratory infection that has been increasing in prevalence across the United States in part due to declining vaccination rates. Officials say this is the third pertussis-related infant [...]
Kentucky reports third whooping cough infant death
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WOWK) — Officials with the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) announced on Monday that another infant has died from pertussis, also known as whooping cough. The death is the third to happen in the state within the past 12 months. KDPH said in a release that the increasing spread of the respiratory [...]
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