Three children in San Diego County were diagnosed with the contagious disease Whooping Cough, or Pertussis, county health officials said Wednesday.
All three children were up-to-date with immunizations, according to a statement from the County Health and Human Services Agency.
The cases reported include:
• An 8-year-old who attends Hilltop Drive Elementary School in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.
• A 12-year-old who attends Joan MacQueen Middle School in the Alpine Union School District.
• An 18-month-old who attends Imagine Kids Planet Preschool, a private child care center in La Jolla.
The three cases bring the total number of cases to 134 in the region to date this year. In 2011, 400 pertussis cases were reported locally.
Parents who suspect their children may have been exposed should talk to a doctor. They can get the vaccine series and the Tdap booster shot for themselves and their children through a primary care physician.
Pertussis starts with a cough and runny nose for about one to two weeks. Then, the coughing becomes rapid and sometimes has a whooping sound. Patients sometimes have a mild fever. It is treatable with antibiotics.
