Whooping Cough Claims Life Of 10th Baby In California

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Health officials say whooping cough caused the death of a 6-week-old baby in San Diego County last week, bringing to ten the number of babies who have died in California during this year's epidemic.

The baby who died last week was treated at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.

The highly contagious illness has symptoms similar to the common cold, but a persistent cough that lasts weeks may indicate the illness, which is also known as pertussis. More than 5,270 people have been infected in California.

All the babies who have died this year were too young to be fully immunized, so health officials are urging parents and caretakers to get booster shots to create a cocoon of immunity around vulnerable children.

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