2011 was the first year in more than two decades during which there were no deaths from whooping cough. In 2010, 10 infants died from the disease. The number of people who became infected also dropped from 9,000 in 2010 to just 3,000 in 2011.
The state passed a law requiring students in grades 7 to 12 to get vaccinated, but many parents chose to opt out of the program.
The Los Angeles Times reports:
“[D]eaths ... can be prevented if cases are identified and treated quickly ... Pertussis is a bacterial disease that infects the respiratory system. It can be particularly dangerous for infants”.