By WJBC staff

NORMAL – Normal West High School parents have been notified by school officials that two cases of pertussis (whooping cough) have been diagnosed at the school.

In a letter sent to parents, the McLean County Health Department has requested the school to continue to clean and sanitize the building with its custodial staff.

Pertussis is a contagious bacterial illness that is spread from person-to-person by droplet, direct contact with airborne respiratory secretions or by indirect contact with articles soiled by the infected person’s nose and throat discharges.

Pertussis begins with upper respiratory symptoms, like a common cold with increasingly irritating cough. In one to two weeks, the cough develops a characteristic “whoop” in young children and occurs in spasms sometimes followed by vomiting.

The time between exposure to the disease and the appearance of the first signs of illness is between 5 and 21 days, commonly 7 to 10 days. The person is contagious just before the onset of the cough until three weeks of coughing unless treated with an appropriate antibiotic.

Most children are protected against the disease with a Pertussis-containing vaccine prior to entering daycare and school.

All people over 10 years of age are susceptible to the disease. Infants and young children, who have not been adequately vaccinated, are at most serious risk of complications from Pertussis.

The McLean County Health Department recommends keeping children at home and consulting medical care if symptoms are displayed. Also, parents should notify the school if their child is diagnosed with suspected or confirmed Pertussis.