Health officials on high alert after local whooping cough cases rise

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A case of whooping cough at a local high school has health leaders on both sides of the state line on high alert.

“Out of all the respiratory illnesses we’re talking about pertussis may be the most contagious,” Dr. Shawn Sood a Pediatric Critical Care Physician at KU Hospital said.

This comes as cases in both Kansas and Missouri are on the rise. The Jackson County Health Department has reported a rise in cases over the last 4 weeks.

Dr. Sood says they’ve seen not just a rise in people who have been exposed to it, but also children needing to be tested.

At Blue Springs High School there’s a student who has contracted whooping cough. The school sent letters home to parents warning them about this infection.

“Concerned about the timing, we have influenza season coming, we know RSV is starting as well, and to add a third component, pertussis, we just have to be vigilant,” Dr. Sood continued.

The school recommends any student or staff that has contact with infants, which is the group most vulnerable, should get the vaccine.

In a statement, the school says in part:

“It takes all of us to keep our school healthy. Please keep all ill students at home until they feel better, have ruled out infectious disease, or have a doctor’s recommendation to return to school.”

“Very concerned about how contagious it is especially in the close corridors or settings like a school where people are breathing and coughing” Dr. Sood said.

It can take anywhere between five to 21 days to get symptoms, which include violent and rapid coughing, nasal discharge, watery eyes, fever and more.

The illness is most dangerous for infants under the age of one and the elderly.

However, there is a vaccine for whooping cough. According to federal data U.S. kindergarten vaccine rates dropped last year and the exemptions to avoid vaccinations reached an all-time high.

“Getting a grapple on this is important to protect our children,” Dr. Sood said.

Again, it’s not isolated to one county or another. Most importantly, it’s not a time to panic but to act.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.