Whooping cough vaccines urged, especially in South

Public health agencies are encouraging people, especially those in the deep South, to get vaccinated against pertussis, also known as whooping cough, after figures showed almost 100 Thais have been diagnosed with the disease this year.

The Disease Control Department reported yesterday that 93 people had tested positive for pertussis from Jan 1 to Nov 22 and one infant died in Pattani.

The 18 day-old infant picked up the infection from family members, said Dr Anurak Saraphab, Pattani Provincial Public Health Medical Doctor.

The report showed that 72 people in the province tested positive for pertussis, the highest in Thailand.

Dr Chaloemphol Osotpromma, director of the Office of Disease Control 12 in…