LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials say 215 cases of whooping cough were diagnosed in January alone.
Dr. Joseph Acierno, director of public health for the state Department of Health and Human Services, says the number of diagnosed cases is higher than some totals for previous years. There were 395 confirmed and probable cases of whopping cough in all of 2014.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease marked by severe coughing.
Tim Timmons, communicable disease specialist with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, says 162 of January's cases were in Lancaster County. He says 51 cases have been confirmed, and the rest are probable cases.
Acierno says parents should check family vaccination records to ensure protection.
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