An outbreak of whooping cough is being monitored at Monterey Park School in Salinas. So far four students have been diagnosed with the highly contagious respiratory disease.
Principal Brian Hayes and school officials met with parents to offer information and answer questions.
“There really hasn’t been a feeling of fear. It’s been more of ‘what can we do to stop this?'” he said.
The first case was diagnosed on Feb. 25. Three more students from the same fifth grade class also came down with the disease.
Pediatrician Michele Tamse said it can be scary during cold and flu season because at first it’s hard to tell the difference between pertussis and the common cold.
“It can be as simple as the common cold initially, but if we start seeing any signs of vomiting or seizures and blueness to the face, then we have to keep that in mind,” Tamse said.
School officials said of the 524 students at Monterey Park, 99.5 percent are vaccinated, including the four students who have been diagnosed.
All four have completed their five-day anti-biotic treatment at home and are back at school.
Source: KSBW News, 19 March 2015.
http://www.ksbw.com/news/pertussis-outbreak-at-monterey-park-school/31881324
