Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, sounds like a malady you could've caught 100 years ago.
But cases have been on the rise in recent years. Virginia had 222 cases in 2009 and 344 last year. Eastern Virginia had 34 in 2009 and nearly double that number — 60 — in 2010, according to Dr. Bill Berg, Hampton Health Department director.
What shows up as a pesky, persistent cough in adults can be fatal in infants.
"Pertussis is making a comeback, and we have this vulnerable population out there," Berg said.
That's why health officials are embarking on a public-awareness campaign, urging people who are around infants to get the Tdap...