"At the current rate, California will have more whooping cough cases than the state has seen in more than half a century. The pace hasn't slowed much despite a calculated campaign by the state department of public health to inform people about the disease, how to prevent infection, and who should be vaccinated. Health officials do believe there are more people getting pertussis shots," Dr. Mark Horton said.
There are currently six times as many whooping cough cases this year in California compared to a year ago, and there have been seven deaths tied to the disease, all infants.
Some health experts blame the outbreak in part on parents who choose not to immunize their kids.
