NEW YORK, July 19: New York health officials yesderday reported a sharp spike in cases of whooping cough, a potentially fatal illness that has been on the rise around the country this year, and urged people to get vaccinated. Preliminary figures reported by New York’s Health Department found 970 cases so far in 2012 of the highly contagious disease pertussis, or whooping cough, an infection that produces an intense cough that lasts weeks and can lead to pneumonia, an inability to breathe or death. (agencies)
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