It is obvious that these whooping cough outbreaks have happened well after the anti-vaccine movement has picked up steam but it’s just as obvious that the outbreaks occur in areas with high concentrations of illegal immigrants. No matter the cause, whooping cough can kill small children so take precautions if you’re in or around a large city that is known for outbreaks:

WEST ISLIP, NY (WCBS 880) – An alert has been issued after a nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip was diagnosed with whooping cough.

Hospital officials say the nurse works in the maternity ward and has completed antibiotic treatment.

The hospital notified patients, families, and employees that may have come in contact with the nurse.

The New York State Health Department’s Pete Constantakes says getting the vaccine is the best way to prevent the disease.

“Young infants, lots of times they haven’t receive the full series of vaccinations or any… if they’re newborn,” Constantakes tells WCBS 880 reporter Sophia Hall. “In this case, we’re still looking to see what happened, whether it was a big risk. And, again, we will take any sanctions we need to, to make sure this doesn’t happen in the future.”

Whooping cough, also known as purtussis, causes violent and uncontrollable coughing.

Medical workers are usually vaccinated so either this nurse had her whooping cough vaccine wear off or she was an illegal who never went through the proper procedures. Either way for healthy adults antibiotics will work … for now. But with hospitals becoming the breeding grounds for superbugs like MRSA that may not always be the case.