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Whooping cough still spreading as southern Alberta outbreak grows
279 cases of pertussis have been identified in region
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Pertussis is a bacterial infection that causes severe coughing that can last weeks or months. According to AHS, it can lead to pneumonia and "in rare cases seizures, brain injury and death."
The best protection, Jenne said, is vaccination.
But Alberta Health data shows immunization rates have dropped dramatically in recent years, with 58 per cent of children in the south zone up-to-date on their pertussis vaccine doses by the age of two in 2022, compared to 76 per cent in 2008.
The provincial average, which has also declined, sat at 71 per cent last year.
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Diseases like pertussis are actually some of the most infectious diseases we've ever identified. And we need greater than 90 per cent of the community to be vaccinated to have any form of herd immunity, to protect and limit the spread of virus," said Jenne.
Immunization coverage varies widely in southernmost health zone, from a low of 22 per cent in the County of Forty Mile to 79 per cent in West Lethbridge.
"So right now, we know that the vaccine rates are far below that, and it really was a matter of time before we started to see pertussis spreading in the community."
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...904516?cmp=rss
This is what happens when you have a premier that champions stupidity, and a right wing media cheer leading them on.
Parents should be charged with child endangerment and be billed for their cost to the health system. Yay Freedom.