Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a continuing problem at Bainbridge High School. A recent email to BHS parents and staff stated that more than one-quarter of all cases in the Kitsap County outbreak have been among BHS students.

The letter came from Susan Turner, a Kitsap Public Health District health officer, who noted that some students attended school while contagious, sometimes for as long as two weeks.”Attending school while sick can result in exposing other students and staff,” it reads. “Since we continue to see new cases from BHS, we want to remind students, staff, and parents that it is very important to stay home from school and visit your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of pertussis in order to halt this outbreak.”

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract that often causes a whooping sound following a coughing spell. It is spread by direct or close contact with mouth and nose secretions (coughing, sneezing) of an infected person. The illness causes a range of symptoms, from a mild cough to severe disease.

Infants under one year of age are at the highest risk for severe disease and life-threatening complications. Coughing spells can be severe, sometimes ending in gagging or vomiting.The letter stated that preventative medication is not recommended for staff or students, and that anyone who is ill should stay home. Since June 2014, there have been 137 cases of pertussis reported to the Kitsap Public Health Department.

Visit www.kitsappublichealth.org for more information on the outbreak.