The Centers for Disease Control have released their latest MMWR weekly report with the latest data on pertussis or whooping cough. The data is through October 9, MMWR week 40.
New York State has now reported a total of 462 cases of whooping cough in 2010, 66 from New York City and 396 from counties the CDC labels "upstate". In 2009, at the same time, the state had reported 244 cases. The increase is entirely outside the City.
Twelve states have reported over 300 cases in 2010. Upstate New York's rate of growth in case numbers from 2009 places it second behind California. California continues in the grip of a declared pertussis epidemic. As of October 12, the California Department of Public Health is reporting 5,658 cases of whooping cough in 2010.
Three states, California, Texas and Ohio, have reported over 1,000 cases. The twelve states reporting over 300 cases in 2010 represent 75% of all whooping cough cases reported in the United States. All but Texas have higher case counts in 2010 than in 2009. Texas has reported 62 fewer cases in 2010, at 2,020.
The disease is not universally higher than last year in all states. Missouri, as an example, had reported 844 cases through week 40 in 2009, but has reported only 282 in 2010. Florida has dropped from 443 cases to 251.
The issue of vaccination remains at the core of the case counts. Twenty states allow parents to refuse immunizations for their children based upon a "strong personal belief". Four of the top five states with high case counts allow this exemption. 74% of the total whooping cough cases reported in 2010 are from the 20 states allowing the exemption.
Upstate Whooping Cough News:
Monroe County: Whooping Cough in Webster
Wyoming Count: GCC Student with Whooping Cough
Capital Region: 10 Cases of Pertussis
Onondaga County: 90 Cases Through July
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