Anchorage School District student tests positive for whooping cough

The Anchorage School District Education Center thoroughfare sign. (Mayowa Aina/Alaska Public Media)

A student astatine Goldenview Middle School successful Anchorage tested affirmative for whooping cough, aliases pertussis, this week, according to Kathy Bell, head of healthcare services for nan Anchorage School District.

“We had a telephone from a parent, which was very responsible of them, and they fto america cognize that their kid had pertussis, and nan trial came backmost positive,” Bell said. “There [were] a mates different students wrong nan Anchorage School District who were not tested but had very akin symptoms.”

Those 2 students, pinch suspected cases of whooping cough, are astatine South High School and Bear Valley Elementary. Bell said each 3 students started medication, which is an antibiotic called Z-pak. But she said nan trial results, from a PCR test, tin return up to 5 days.

The territory sent retired an email asking families to watch for whooping cough symptoms. People pinch nan infection whitethorn person a debased people fever and a cough astatine first. Later nan cough whitethorn worsen and origin problem breathing. People whitethorn make a whooping sound to gasp for air, which is really nan infection was named. 

Vaccinations for pertussis are required for students successful Alaska, but families tin use for exemptions. 

Bell said vaccination is nan champion measurement to protect families from whooping cough. It spreads easy done nan aerial and nan CDC recommends everyone get vaccinated for pertussis, including pregnant women. 

Alaska is seeing a spike successful whooping cough cases. This twelvemonth location are complete 130 cases truthful far. According to nan state’s section of nationalist health, astir whooping cough cases successful Alaska are among children who aren’t up to day pinch vaccinations. 

Bell said successful her 25 years moving for nan district, she tin only retrieve a fewer erstwhile cases successful nan schoolhouse district. She said nan summation successful cases this twelvemonth whitethorn beryllium related to little vaccination rates during and aft nan COVID19 pandemic. 

Whooping cough is astir risky for babies. One 3rd of babies nether 1 who get whooping cough will beryllium hospitalized for it and 1% of hospitalized babies will dice from it. 

“You should beryllium worried if you person a very young newborn kid that’s not yet vaccinated,” Bell said. She said it’s astir apt champion to “keep them astatine location and don’t expose them to, return them retired to malls and stores and family events until possibly this pertussis section successful our organization has passed by us.”

RELATED: Cases of whooping cough are spiking successful Alaska this year