Whooping cough outbreak continues in East Troy
Stay home – please.
That’s the message to anyone coughing in the East Troy Community School District.
“As much as I absolutely appreciate any family and staff member wanting to be present at school and or work, it is more imperative for them to not infect others while recovering,” District Administrator Christopher G. Hibner said Monday.
There have been 35 confirmed and probable cases of whooping cough, also called pertussis, in East Troy High School and Middle School since November, according to a press release from the Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services.
“We’re up to 23 lab-confirmed cases in East Troy,” Walworth County Public Health Nurse Supervisor Beth Walsh. “That’s up from 15 when the press release went out Friday.”
Health officials expect to identify more cases as the investigation continues and the disease may begin to present in students at other local schools.
“There’s a lot,” Walsh continued. “We don’t know exactly how many cases we have right now as we investigate more. It might be slowing down a little, we hope, but it’s still there.
“Anybody who’s coughing severely, especially at the high school, we’re holding out, even without a direct link because it’s everywhere in the school.”
The East Troy School District has been working diligently to stop the outbreak and sent home a second letter to parents on Monday detailing the district’s efforts to sanitize the schools and asking for parents’ cooperation to keep out anyone showing symptoms of whooping cough.
“I would like to stress that if any child or staff member is not feeling well, please have him or her stay home,” Hibner stated in the letter. “If you or your child is representing any of the outlined symptoms or others, please take the necessary actions to ensure safety of both your family and all of the families in the East Troy Community School District.”
Parents in the district can call School Nurse Sandy Schubert at (262) 903-1274 or Health Assistant Tricia Harris at (262) 642-6760, ext. 5200 for more information.
“If you’re coughing and have been sick for a while, get it checked out,” Schubert said.
Central Racine County Health Department Health Officer Margaret Gesner said the number of cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is up this year over last year.
“We don’t have any outbreaks in Racine County at this time, but I can say for 2016 overall, there is a 340 percent increase in cases in the district over last year at this time,” Gesner said. “Year to date we had seven cases in the district last year, this year we have 31 cases so far.”
According to the Dec. 1 Pertussis Report by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, there were 51 cases per 100,000 residents in Walworth County so far this year. Kenosha County had 76 cases per 100,000 residents with Waukesha coming it at 68 and Racine at 43, per 100,000 residents.
“During November 2016, the rate of new pertussis investigations (an estimate of the current rate of pertussis activity) increased in the Northern and Western regions. La Crosse, Oneida and Walworth Counties reported higher levels of pertussis activity during November 2016 than during October 2016,” the report states.
Walsh said they were keeping an eye on the other school districts in Walworth County.
“We always have sporadic cases in the county,” she said. “And we haven’t seen increases in other districts at this time, but it could very well happen.”
Both Walsh and Gesner were encouraging people to get vaccinated against pertussis and to follow good hand hygiene.
“And cover your mouth when you cough!” Walsh said.
Walworth County Health officials are urging parents, especially those in East Troy, to contact their health care provider’s office as soon as possible if anyone in their family shows signs of the disease. The hallmark of whooping cough is severe coughing “fits” which may be accompanied by a loud crowing or “whooping” sound as victims struggle to inhale air.
It is important to note that the cough may be mild and without the hallmark “whoop,” especially in older children and adults. In these individuals, the cough may seem more like a typical cough that can accompany a cold or bronchitis, though it usually lasts longer.
Students who are experiencing symptoms of whooping cough should stay out of school until the day after they have completed a full five days of antibiotics treatment in order to contain the spread of the disease.
“This is important,” Walsh said. “They have to complete the full five days of antibiotics and then return to school on the sixth day. People think they can take the medicine on the fifth day and go to school. They have to have the full five days of isolation and complete the treatment before coming back on the sixth day.”
The spread and symptoms of pertussis is reduced with antibiotic treatment if caught early. It also is one of many diseases infants, children, and adults are vaccinated against. While immunization is important, no vaccine is 100 percent effective and those who have received the vaccine may still get and spread the disease to others.
While most children and adults recover from pertussis with nothing but a memory of a long-lasting, nagging cough, babies younger than 1 year old are prone to complications, hospitalizations, and death from the disease. Also at risk are those with underlying health conditions and suppressed immune systems.
“We want to be careful around these folks,” Walsh said. “If you’re around small children, infants or people with chronic health conditions, get vaccinated.”
Parents in Walworth County who have a student who is coughing, should contact the Walworth County Division of Public Health at (262) 741-3140 or walcoph@co.walworth.wi.us.
Parents in Western Racine County with concern can call the Central Racine County Health Department at (262) 898-4460.
Waukesha residents can call the Waukesha County Public Health at (262) 896-8430.
