Schools

Students Exposed to Whooping Cough at Harry S. Truman Elementary School

Salisbury Township School District officials said students may have been exposed to a person with pertussis, or whooping cough, on Jan. 2 and that parents or their children who have a cough should contact their doctor.

officials are warning parents that students at may have been exposed to a person with pertussis, or whooping cough, on Jan. 2. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs.

The district's Web site urges parents or their children who have a cough to contact their physician and tell them they may have been exposed to whooping cough.

The district provided the following information: "Pertussis begins with cold symptoms and a cough, which becomes much worse over 1-2 weeks. Symptoms usually include a long series of coughs (“coughing fits”) followed by a whooping noise. However, older children, adults and very young infants may not develop the whoop. People with pertussis may have a series of coughs followed by vomiting, turning blue, or difficulty catching their breath. The cough is often worse at night and cough medicines usually do not help alleviate the cough."

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Pertussis cases have been increasing since the 1980s, particularly among children between 10 and 19, and babies younger than six months old, according to the CDC. "In 2010, an increase in reported cases among 7-10 year olds was seen. This new trend reinforces the need for a routinely recommended booster dose of Tdap at age 11 or 12 years," the CDC said.

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