Wooping Cough Alert

School officials learned early this evening that a member of the NHS Girls Basketball team has a confirmed case of Whooping Cough (pertussis).

The student is being treated with antibiotics and is expected to make a full recovery at home. School officials are working closely with Yamhill County Health to notify and provide staff and school families with essential information.

Whooping Cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After fits of coughing, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breaths that result in a "whooping" sound.
Symptoms of pertussis usually develop within 7–10 days after being exposed, but sometimes not for as long as 6 weeks.

• It begins with a runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and mild cough. The cough gradually becomes more severe.
• After a week or two, the second stage of the illness begins, which is characterized by coughing spasms ending with a gasp or whoop as the patient tries to get air.
• Sometimes the fits of coughing results in vomiting. This stage of the illness may persist for up to 10 weeks.

Pertussis is spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria.

While pertussis vaccine (Tdap) is the most effective tool prevent this disease, no vaccine is 100% effective.  If you have been vaccinated, the infection is usually less severe. Pertussis most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies less than 1 year of age.

If you suspect that your child has developed a cold that includes a severe cough or a cough that lasts for a long time, Yamhill County Public Health officials advise you to call your healthcare provider.