News

Actions

Officials: 4 cases of Whooping Cough confirmed in Ionia Co.

Posted at 2:58 PM, Dec 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-12 14:58:52-05

IONIA, Mich. - The Ionia County Health Department says there have been four confirmed cases of Pertussis, or Whooping Cough, in the county since the end of November.

All four cases were in children aged three to 17 months. Children are not considered fully immunized until they receive their 5th Pertussis vaccination at age four or five, before they start preschool or kindergarten.

Health Department officials say that Pertussis is a bacterial infection that starts with symptoms similar to the common cold. The second stage of the disease can last from one to six weeks, with the patient going through bursts of numerous, rapid coughs ending with a long indrawn breath and a high-pitched "whoop." Patients may turn blue during the episodes and vomiting and exhaustion may come after each episode.

Officials say the disease is milder in older people, but they are the ones who often transmit the disease to younger family members.

Unimmunized children may be excluded from school for 21 days.

For more information contact your physician orclick here.