LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Five cases of whooping cough have been confirmed in four Fayette County schools since early October, prompting health officials to urge families to take the respiratory illness seriously.
The Lexington Fayette-County Health Department says the cases were reported at Paul Laurence Dunbar and Lafayette High Schools, Landsdowne Elementary and Lexington Christian Academy.
"Let's take this serious because it's not just the common cold," said Dr. Steve Davis, the health department's medical director.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, often starts off like a common cold with sneezing, a runny nose and a mild fever. However, it can lead to weeks of severe coughing fits that can make it hard to breathe.
"This respiratory virus gets in your lungs, if you will, and it can make it so difficult to get your air that when people are trying to get their air in, you'll hear them go hoop, you know hoop, and you'll actually have a hooping sound," Davis said.
The illness is circulating at higher levels in Lexington right now, according to Davis.
"It's in the air year-round. We have certain times that for reasons unknown, it just hits a real peak, in terms of the amount of the germ that's circulating. And I can share with you, it's hit Lexington now. It's starting to circulate. And it's getting worse," Davis said.
If a child develops whooping cough, health officials urge that they stay home for five days with antibiotics, or 21 days if not treated, to help stop the spread.
Davis says vaccination is the best protection. He recommends staying up to date, especially for children and pregnant women, who should get a new vaccine every pregnancy.
"What that does is she will then pass the vaccination protection, if you will, over to her newborn baby, who cannot get vaccinated until they're 2 months of age," Davis said.
The health department says they'll continue to monitor new cases while also reminding families to practice good hygiene and stay home if they're sick.
