Second Student Diagnosed With "Whooping Cough" at Chatham High School

CHATHAM, NJ — A second case of Pertussis — also known as "Whooping Cough" — was reported at Chatham High School, TapInto reported.

Dr. LaSusa reported the incident at the Chatham Board of Education meeting on Sept. 12.

A portion of the letter sent out by Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa is published below, according to TapInto:

Dear Parent/Guardian:
I am writing to make you aware that we have had a second confirmed case of pertussis (whooping cough) identified in one of our students at Chatham High School. This student, who was fully immunized, is receiving appropriate antibiotic treatment. We bring this to your attention so that you may take extra precautions on behalf of your children and the rest of our community--closely monitoring the health of your children and seeking medical treatment for persistent coughing and other symptoms that are detailed in this letter.
The fall is a time when colds and allergies result in the development of symptoms which could be considered typical for this season. In light of the information we received about the presence of pertussis in our community, we join our local health department in asking for your extra vigilance in seeking medical attention for lingering coughs, which might otherwise seem to be "normal" for this time of year. Pertussis can be a serious threat to the health and safety of the community, most notably infants and young children.

"Whooping Cough" is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection known for uncontrollable, violent coughing that makes it hard to breathe. After someone with pertussis coughs a lot, they'll often need to take deep breaths, which result in a "whooping" sound. Pertussis can be very serious, even deadly, for infants less than one years old.

Pertussis is treated with antibiotics and people usually take seven to ten days to recover.

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