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January 10, 2003

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"WHO Helps Curb Whooping Cough in Northeastern Afghan Province" BBC Worldwide Monitoring (www.bbc.co.uk) (01/10/03)

The Darwaz District of Badakhshan Province in Afghanistan is dealing with a major outbreak of whooping cough that caused the deaths of 34 children and is threatening some 40,000 children in the area.  In order to stop the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has teamed with the Afghan Ministry of Health to provide immunizations against the disease to children under the age of 15 and to treat those who are already sick.  The WHO is also training local people to provide vaccinations to children. Contributing to the severity of the disease is the province's remote location and isolation from the outside world.

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