Whooping cough cases confirmed at Bothell High School in WA

Bothell High School administration confirms Friday there are identified cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, at the school.

Families in the school's community received notice Friday morning with guidance of how to identify and deal with whooping cough.

While school authorities say there is no widespread exposure right now, they are reminding students and parents of what to look out for at this time.

They say the following practices can be implemented to prevent the spread of pertussis and other respiratory illnesses:

  • Staying home from work/school when you are not feeling well.
  • If you have a cough or other symptoms but do not meet the criteria to stay home, wear a mask and cover your cough.
  • Avoiding the sharing of items that may be contaminated by saliva, such as lip gloss, utensils, cell phones, or beverage containers such as water bottles.

High-risk pertussis patients and symptoms to watch

Specific symptoms of pertussis to look for include:

  • Persistent cough that has lasted 2-3 weeks or longer, especially one that has worsened over time and is worse at night.
  • Coughing fits followed by an inspiratory "whoop" or gasping and/or leading to vomiting.

People at highest risk for severe infection due to pertussis are:

  • Infants younger than one year of age.
  • Children who are unimmunized or only partly immunized for whooping cough (pertussis).

People who should protect themselves from getting pertussis:

  • Pregnant women near the time of delivery (they may spread it to their newborns).
  • Health care workers (they may spread pertussis to their high-risk patients and other staff who care for high-risk patients).
  • People who have close contact with pregnant women, infants, or health care workers.

Spokespeople with the school advise anyone with further questions to contact a health care provider or visit the King County website for more information: King County Health Department.

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