A Fifth of Will County's Whooping Cough Cases Are in Plainfield

One-fifth of the total number of this year's whooping cough cases in Will County have been in , according to statistics released by the county health department.

While the county has far fewer cases than some neighboring counties -- just 25 total so far -- four have been reported in Plainfield and another 11 in the Will County portion of Naperville, health department spokesman Vic Reato said.

Last year, there were just 18 cases reported, statistics show. Cumulatively, there have been 1,101 cases reported in Illinois as of Dec. 7 compared to 1,056 in all of 2010.

Because the numbers indicate an outbreak of pertussis, the medical name for whooping cough, the county's infectious disease control division has issued an alert and is encouraging those who have not been vaccinated to see a doctor or come to one of the county's health clinics.

Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection that is transmitted through coughing and sneezing.

While anyone can contract it, infants and children run the biggest risk should they suffer complications, such as bacterial pneumonia, encephalitis, convulstions, ear infections, appetite loss and dehydration, according to a news release issued by the health department.

Since 2000, about 25 percent of pertussis cases in Illinois have involved children 12 months old or younger.

A recent Associated Press study found that more Illinois parents are opting out of childhood immunizations against pertussis and other dangerous infectious diseases, which may be triggering the increased numbers, the release said.

The AP study showed the rate of vaccine exemption is 5.3 percent in Illinois, making it one of eight states where more than 5 percent of public school kindergartners do not get all the vaccinations normally required for attendance. U.S. pertussis cases topped 21,000 in 2010, the largest national total in nearly a decade, the report said.

Many other states are also reporting increased numbers of cases, including Wisconsin, Iowa, New York, Washington and portions of New England.

The Will County Health Department is monitoring absence reports at area school districts and communicating with local physicians and medical facilities to monitor the trends.

Walk-in immunizations are available Monday through Friday at the Will County Health Department main office complex in Joliet. Immunizations are also available at Health Department branch office locations in Romeoville and University Park by appointment.

To schedule an appointment, or for more information, call 815-740-8143 or 877-942-5807.