Cover that cough: Community sees outbreak of whooping cough, mainly in school-aged children

The Spokane Regional Health District has confirmed more than 50 cases of pertussis, also known as “whooping cough,” in the Spokane area, affecting predominantly school-age children.

Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection, transmitted by coughing or sneezing in close contact with an infected person. This makes schools and classrooms particularly prone to transmission, especially if students do not cover their coughs or wash their hands regularly. Cases have been reported in nearly every school district in Spokane County.

Beyond the confirmed cases, the health district is investigating nearly 20 others after more were reported Wednesday and Thursday. Two-thirds of confirmed cases are in school-age children. The health district sent a letter to parents of students on Tuesday warning of the outbreak.

“We want to encourage a lot of good handwashing and teaching respiratory etiquette: teaching kids to cough into elbows, not hands,” said Betsy Bertelsen, a health district epidemiologist. “Keep your child home if they’re sick.”

Pertussis is recognized by symptoms similar to the common cold that get worse, like a runny nose and cough that becomes more frequent and occurs in spasms, potentially with a “whoop” sound. It is possible that children may not have a cough but may struggle to breathe, gag, gasp or even vomit.

Bertelsen encourages parents who notice symptoms in their children that are prolonged or concerning to take them to the doctor.

Doctors perform a nasal swab test to determine if pertussis bacteria is present, and whooping cough is treated with a five-day regimen of antibiotics. The health district is asking families to keep children out of school if they have been diagnosed. After five days of antibiotics, a person diagnosed with pertussis is no longer contagious.

The best way to prevent pertussis is vaccination, which is a part of the DTaP immunization series infants receive starting at 2 months of age in a five-part series. Children who have been immunized should be immune to pertussis by kindergarten. The vaccination can lose its effectiveness, Bertelsen said, and before students receive the booster shot in sixth grade, immunity could wane.

“Our No. 1 recommendation is to check their child’s vaccinations and make sure they are up to date,” Bertelsen said. “Also, it’s really important for any adults around infants to make sure they are also vaccinated.”

Even if the vaccination is not perfect, Bertelsen said it can still reduce symptoms or side effects. Pertussis is not a life-threatening illness, but it is dangerous for both infants and pregnant women. Adults can receive a Tdap booster, even if they have had it before, Bertelsen said. She also said pregnant mothers should be vaccinated against pertussis.

The last time the Spokane area saw an increased number of whooping cough cases was in 2016, but this time around there are more, Bertelsen said.

“Instead of waiting for your child to cough two to three weeks, please take them as soon as you’re concerned to get the test done,” she said.

With school districts out for holiday break starting Friday, health district officials hope the number of cases will not increase as rapidly, especially if those who are sick can stay home.

“Early diagnosis and treatment is key to slowing this down,” Bertelsen said.