Whooping cough found at Whitefish Middle School

Flathead City-County Health Department officials have confirmed one case of pertussis (whooping cough) in a Whitefish Middle School student, according to a Friday news release from the department.

Health department and school staff “are working diligently to contain the spread of illness,” according to the release.

The health department contacted parents of students at risk for contracting the illness and canceled a band festival scheduled to take place at the middle school Friday. To prevent secondary cases, household and close contacts, including classmates, need to be treated with medication at the same time as the ill people.

A highly contagious, serious illness, pertussis spreads through direct contact with discharges from the mouth and nose of infected people. Infected people should not go to day care, school, work or public gatherings until at least five days after starting an antibiotic. Hand washing and covering coughs is very important.  

Health officials urged those who have had a cough lasting more than one week to consult their health-care provider. This is especially true if the cough tends to be worse at night and sounds different than a typical upper-respiratory cough.

Symptoms usually appear five to 10 days after exposure, but can take as long as 21 days. The first symptoms to appear resemble a common cold accompanied by coughing.

The cough gradually becomes worse with coughing spasms, which can end in vomiting or the characteristic, high-pitched “whoop.” Early treatment is important.

Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Immunization is the best way to prevent infection.  

It is especially important for infants and children to get pertussis immunizations, since pertussis can be more critical in children under the age of 1 year. Vaccines are available for people ages 2 months through 64 years of age.