Whooping cough warning for Torrey Pines Elementary workshop attendees
Parents whose children recently attended the Children’s Creative Workshop summer program at Torrey Pines Elementary should watch for signs of whooping cough, according to county public health officials.
A 5-year-old child who attended the Del Mar Union School District program July 6 and 7 has been diagnosed with the highly contagious disease, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reported Monday.
On Friday, the agency announced a 7-year-old who attended an extended day program in the Cajon Valley School District was diagnosed with whooping cough, which is also known as pertussis.
Whooping cough is named for the “whoop” sound children and adults sometimes make when they try to breathe in during or after a severe coughing spell. The disease usually starts with flu-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, fever and a mild cough.
Whooping cough is treatable with antibiotics but can cause life-threatening complications in infants and young children, according to county public health officials.
“Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease and we want parents and physicians to be aware that it is very active in our community this year,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer.
The HHSA recommends children get five doses of a vaccine to guard against whooping cough between the ages of 2 months and 6 years. A one-time booster shot is recommended for those age 11 to 64.
There have been 62 cases of whooping cough in San Diego County so far this year, compared to a total of 51 in 2008.
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