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May 6, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Whooping Cough Spreads"

Vancouver Province (www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince)

(05/05/02) P. A37; Montgomery, Christina

Health officials in British Columbia, Canada, last week declared an epidemic of pertussis in Fraser Valley.  There have been 29 cases already this year, and last year there were 86 confirmed cases of the disease--up significantly from the 20 cases recorded in 2000.  In the past two months, there have only been two cases recorded in Vancouver, where the immunization rate for children is over 90 percent; however, most of the Valley cases are in Chilliwack and Agassiz, where the immunization rate for toddlers is just 71 percent.  Dr. Andrew Larder, a medical officer in Fraser Valley, said Friday that the spread of the disease is likely because there are many "conscientious objectors" to vaccines in the Valley, as well as a large number of children who have been vaccinated but who have since lost the five-year immunity the shot affords.

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