Health warning: Tri-State schools see jump in whooping cough cases

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – There’s a warning to parents going out from several Tri-State schools about a highly contagious infection on the rise in our area.

Hamilton County Public Health says there’s been a jump in cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis.

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection. It’s now going around in several Tri-State schools, and Hamilton County Public Health has issued this alert because of what appears to be a jump in cases compared to previous years at this same time.

The danger is that it causes a bad respiratory infection, which can make it hard to breathe, especially for a young child.

Parents are being asked to watch out for warning signs and take kids to see the doctor if they start to show any early signs of bad respiratory symptoms. It also preventable through a vaccine, so parents are being asked to see if all of their children’s immunizations are up-to-date.

Oak Hills School District said they are one of several school districts that have alerted parents. Those who have children with a confirmed case in a classroom are receiving additional alerts. Many who have had close contact should tell their doctors, so they can be treated with antibiotics as a precaution.

“By all means, pay attention to the letter. Follow the directions that are on that. Usually, we’ll tell you to kind of keep an eye on your child for a period of days after you get the letter to make sure they aren’t getting sick, and if they are showing some of the symptoms, which are primarily respiratory, to go talk to your doctor, get them tested, Get them treated, if need be…The little ones are the most at risk. Infants who haven’t been able to receive the full series of the vaccine yet, they’re the most at risk,” said Craig Davidson, the assistant health commissioner.

Hamilton County Public Health said they have about 60 confirmed cases right now. This time in 2017, there were only 20 cases.

Oak Hills says they’ve had about 20 known cases in the district of 8,000 students. They said there are cases in six out of their nine schools, but several cases can be in one family where a virus spreads easily.

Click here to learn more about whooping cough.