Wyoming saw a four-fold increase in whooping cough cases last year. Wyoming recorded 59 confirmed cases of whooping cough in 2012, up from 13 a year earlier, according to figures from state Health Department. The state averaged only 16 cases annually between 2007 and 2011. Nine Wyoming counties did not record a case in 2012. Fremont County had the most with 14. The increase mirrors a national trend. Most states reported at least double the number of whooping cough cases in 2012. Whooping cough is a contagious respiratory disease characterized by severe coughing that can last for weeks. State Epidemiologist Dr. Tracy Murphy says the increase may be related to the vaccine losing its effectiveness over time but he says vaccination remains the best protection.
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