OFFICIALS: STAY HOME IF EXPOSED TO WHOOPING COUGH
Friday, November 9th, 2007 -- 12:00 PM
It's been a week since the Clark County Public Health Department announced whooping cough?or pertussis?had been confirmed in the Greenwood school district and they have a new request today.Last Friday, there six confirmed cases of whooping cough; the number has climbed to 32 with more tests pending.
Many more children and families believed to have been exposed to the bacterial infection have been prescribed antibiotics and told to stay home for fear of spreading the highly contagious disease. Whooping cough is contagious until a five-day course of antibiotics has run its course.
But, officials have heard reports that some of those people have not been staying home as requested. They say that could jeopardize public health. Babies and infants are especially at risk.
On The Web
[url=http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/pertussis_t.htm]CDC Pertussis Fact Sheet[/url]
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.