OLD FORGE — Officials in the Old Forge School District confirmed a case of whooping cough.
Superintendent John Rushefski said an elementary student came down with pertussis, a highly contagious disease also known as whooping cough.
The superintendent said the student with whooping cough has been out of school since Friday and no other students were reported to have the disease.
A letter posted on the district’s Facebook page alerted parents that their children may have been exposed to whooping cough.
Symptoms of whooping cough usually begin as cold symptoms and a cough which worsens over one to two weeks. Symptoms usually include a coughing fit followed by a whooping sound.
The letter included tips for parents from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, such as:
- If you or your child is coughing, call your family doctor and explain the person has been exposed to whooping cough.
- If you or your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, everyone in the house should be treated with antibiotics regardless of their age or vaccination status.
- Making sure your child has received all his or her shots on time is the best way to control whooping cough. If you aren’t sure if your child is properly immunized, call your doctor.
