West Seattle high school student tests positive for whooping cough

SEATTLE - Seattle health officials are warning of a possible exposure to whooping cough after a Chief Sealth International High School student tested positive for the highly contagious disease.

What we know:

A child attended classes while actively contagious with whooping cough last week, according to Public Health — Seattle and King County.

Students and staff of the West Seattle high school may have been exposed between Monday, June 1, and Wednesday, June 3.

School and health officials are asking families to monitor their children closely for symptoms, which typically appear seven to 10 days after exposure but can take up to three weeks to manifest.

The early stages of whooping cough can often mimic the common cold, with symptoms like a low-grade fever, runny nose, scratchy throat, or a mild dry cough. The disease can intensify within one to two weeks, causing severe, persistent coughing spells.

Whooping cough typically spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The illness is very serious for babies and young kids, along with children who are immunocompromised.

What you can do:

If a student or staff member develops a cough, health officials advise them to:

• Avoid close contact with others and stay home from school
• Seek evaluation from a doctor, nurse or clinic
• Call ahead before visiting a healthcare facility

Whooping cough can typically be treated with antibiotics, and the disease can be prevented from becoming worse with early treatment. The CDC says vaccination is the best way to protect against the illness.

Local perspective:

Whooping cough remains consistently active across Washington state. There are typically between 184 and 1,026 cases annually, but because it's often misdiagnosed as a common cold, an estimated one out of every 10 actual cases are officially reported.

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