CA Whooping Cough Epidemic Grows

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ State health authorities say the number of whooping cough cases in California has jumped by more than 400 in two weeks.

California Department of Public Health spokesman Ken August says as of June 30, there have been 1,337 reported cases of whooping cough in California. About 700 more cases are being investigated by local health departments.

Whooping cough was declared an epidemic in California after 910 cases of the highly contagious disease were reported as of June 15.

August says the new numbers don't necessarily represent a surge in infection because the increase includes cases that are months-old.

Five California babies under 3 months of age have died of the illness. Unimmunized or incompletely immunized babies are particularly vulnerable.