Forsyth County Health officials are investigating several cases of pertussis – also known as whooping cough. Most of them involve adolescents.
County Health officials couldn't say how many pertussis cases have been confirmed. But there have been 17 cases investigated in Forsyth County since January. More than half of those investigations happened in the past two months.
“From the month of June through the end of July, we have investigated nine cases,” says Jennifer Corso, a nurse with the Forsyth County Department of Public Health.
The disease is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with mucus or droplets from the nose and throat. It can be treated with antibiotics.
“We really just wanted to get the message out to parents that school will be starting in a few weeks and to make sure your children are current on their vaccines, one of them being TDAP,” says Corso.
State law requires all kindergartners to be up to date on their pertussis vaccination before the beginning of the school year. A booster dose of Tdap is also required for students who have not previously received Tdap and who are entering 7th grade or by age 12, whichever comes first.
Pertussis can affect anyone, but health experts say young children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and those with respiratory issues are often more at risk.
Symptoms include a runny nose, low-grade fever and cough.
“And that coughing can lead to coughing spells where they may vomit, loss of breath where they are trying to catch their breath and in very severe cases, they can actually turn blue, which can occur in very young children and infants,” says Corso.
The Forsyth County Department of Public Health is providing the vaccine at no cost for those with Medicaid or no insurance.
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