4 Confirmed Cases Of Whooping Cough In Council Rock

There have been four recent confirmed cases of pertussis, known as whooping cough, within the Council Rock School District, officials said in an email to parents Saturday.

There have been three confirmed cases at Churchville Elementary and one at Holland Middle, officials said. Parents with students who attend those schools have been informed in each instance, the district said.

The district assures parents that the schools have been thoroughly cleaned after each confirmed case of the highly-contagious respiratory disease, however whooping cough is airborne and does not survive on surfaces, officials said.

"Consequently, it is of utmost importance that we all are aware of the warning signs of pertussis, and to ensure that any student diagnosed with pertussis NOT return to school for at least five days while on antibiotics," the email said.

Pertussis can be very serious, even deadly, for infants and babies less than one, according to the CDC.

"Once a diagnosis is made, the diagnosing pediatrician is to contact the Bucks County Department of Health, which is from whom the school district officially receives confirmation that we indeed have a case of pertussis within one of our schools. Once a child is diagnosed, he or she will typically be treated with an antibiotic," the email to district parents said.

"We share this information with our whole community and emphasize it because the Department of Health indicates that the best way to minimize further episodes of the disease is through parental surveillance and recommending that they contact their physician in the event that their child develops a persistent cough," the message said.

Click here for more information about pertussis from the CDC.