California health officials are reaching out to minority communities about the statewide whooping cough epidemic that has claimed the lives of five Latino babies.

The California Department of Public Health is teaming with New America Media, an ethnic media collaborative, to raise awareness through foreign language media about vaccinations for parents, caregivers and children.

The highly contagious disease has been found in 1,300 Californians of all backgrounds as of June 30th, and new parents are being asked to get vaccinated to prevent spreading it to vulnerable newborns.

A typical case starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks, followed by weeks or months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fever is rare.