Parents of Holiday Elementary School students received a letter Tuesday saying their child may have been exposed to pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough. Christian County Health Department Spokeswoman, Tiffany Bolinger says a case of the contagious bacterial disease has been confirmed in Christian County.
Bolinger says the student who tested positive for whooping cough has five siblings who have also been tested. She says parents of Hopkinsville Middle and High School students are receiving letters similar to the one sent to Holiday Elementary Students Tuesday.
The Health Department relies on local doctors to notify them of any potential cases, which are then investigated and people who may have come in contact with the patient to notify them of the exposure. Bolinger says the school system has been very cooperative in spreading the word. Initial symptoms, similar to the common cold, usually develop about a week after exposure to the bacteria, and then, severe episodes of coughing start about 10 to 12 days later. In children, the coughing often ends with a "whoop" noise. The sound is produced when the patient tries to take a breath.
The whoop noise is rare in patients under 6 months of age and in adults. The National Library of Medicine website says coughing spells may lead to vomiting or a short loss of consciousness. Other pertussis symptoms include runny nose, slight fever 102 or lower, and diarrhea.
Bolinger says the student who tested positive for whooping cough has five siblings who have also been tested. She says parents of Hopkinsville Middle and High School students are receiving letters similar to the one sent to Holiday Elementary Students Tuesday.
The Health Department relies on local doctors to notify them of any potential cases, which are then investigated and people who may have come in contact with the patient to notify them of the exposure. Bolinger says the school system has been very cooperative in spreading the word. Initial symptoms, similar to the common cold, usually develop about a week after exposure to the bacteria, and then, severe episodes of coughing start about 10 to 12 days later. In children, the coughing often ends with a "whoop" noise. The sound is produced when the patient tries to take a breath.
The whoop noise is rare in patients under 6 months of age and in adults. The National Library of Medicine website says coughing spells may lead to vomiting or a short loss of consciousness. Other pertussis symptoms include runny nose, slight fever 102 or lower, and diarrhea.
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