LONGVIEW, Wash. — At least one student at Mark Morris High School in Longview has been diagnosed with whooping cough.
In a letter sent to parents on Wednesday, principal Brooks Cooper said several other students are also being evaluated.
“Your child may have been exposed through contact with these students in a classroom or athletic setting or on the bus,” Cooper said in the letter.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says whooping cough is generally treated with antibiotics, although some cases can lead to hospitalization.
From the CDC: How to detect and treat whooping cough
The school listed the following tips for detecting and treating whooping cough:
- Please monitor your child for the next 3 weeks for cold-like symptoms. Symptoms of pertussis usually appear within 7-10 days of exposure, but can be as long as 3 weeks before symptoms begin. If your child develops cough, fever or other signs of respiratory illness s/he should be evaluated promptly by your doctor for pertussis infection.
- If you have a child under the age of 1 year who was potentially exposed, please speak with your doctor about getting antibiotics for your child even if your child does not have any symptoms. This is done to prevent an exposed infant from developing the illness. These antibiotics must be taken as soon as possible after exposure.
- If you are pregnant, especially if in your third trimester, and were potentially exposed, please speak with your doctor about getting antibiotics for yourself to prevent the development of illness even if you do not have any of the above symptoms. These antibiotics must be taken as soon as possible after exposure.
- If you see your doctor for any of the reasons listed above, please show them this letter at your visit.
- Although adults and children may contract pertussis, even if they have had all or some of their immunizations (DTaP and Tdap), vaccination against pertussis is still one of the best ways of reducing the risk of getting this disease and reducing the severity of disease. Pertussis vaccines are recommended for both children and adults. Adults and adolescents should have a Tdap booster shot. Cowlitz County Health Department encourages parents to take this opportunity to ensure their families are up-to-date with vaccinations that protect against pertussis and other preventable diseases, regardless of a potential exposure.
