The Warren County Health District notified the district of the persistent cases, according to a letter updating parents on illnesses in the schools sent Friday from district nurse Bronwyn Patterson.
The first case of pertussis, or whooping cough, was reported Oct. 23 at Springboro High School.
Pertussis — a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by bacteria — is a potentially life-threatening childhood illness that all but disappeared in the 1940s after a vaccine was developed. In recent decades, the illness has made a comeback, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
>> Experts recommend seasonal flu vaccines, other precautions during colder months
Patterson said that the symptoms mimic a common cold and that the district has been told that students often do not have the “whooping cough” and fever, that it is a dry, persistent cough that often initially mimics that of a seasonal allergy. It is spread through direct contact with droplets.
>> RELATED: Whooping Cough reported at Springboro High; Parents asked to monitor children
Anyone whose child has a cough is advised to have the child seen by a medical provider, she stated.
The health department also reported that influenza cases, both Type A and Type B, are on the rise.
About the Author