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Pertussis (Whooping Cough) is easy to screen for and is treatable.
Test results may take up to seven days.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
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The Anchorage School District Healthcare Services Department were notified that multiple members of our school community have tested positive for pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a vaccine-preventable bacterial disease that is spread through respiratory droplets (coughing and sneezing) and sharing saliva (e.g., kissing, sharing cups/utensils).
Infected people can spread whooping cough (pertussis) to others during the first three weeks of their illness unless they have been treated for five days with appropriate antibiotics.
Infected people can not return to school until they have completed the appropriate antibiotic treatment.
For more information about Pertussis please check out the following links:
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- State of Alaska - Pertussis
- You can check your immunization status with the State of Alaska Docket app. Click here to learn more.
- CDC - Pertussis
- State of Alaska - Pertussis
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Current Case Count:
Stay Informed:
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FAQs
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Initial Symptoms
- Runny nose
- Low-grade fever (less than 100.4 degrees)
- Mild cough (babies do not do this)
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Advanced Symptoms
- Coughing very hard, over and over. These coughing fits occur more at night
- Gasping for breath after a coughing fit. Individuals may make a “whooping” sound. This sound is where the name “whooping cough” comes from. Babies may not cough or make this sound—they may gag, gasp, or stop breathing
- Difficulty breathing, eating, drinking, or sleeping
- Turning blue from lack of oxygen
- Vomiting after coughing fits
- Apnea (life-threatening pause in breathing in babies) and cyanosis (turning blue or purple) in babies and young children
Coughing fits can last 10 or more weeks and sometimes happen again the next time the child has a respiratory illness.
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Action Steps
- Please call your primary health care provider and school nurse if you are aware of symptoms and consider that your child may have whooping cough (pertussis) if they have a cough lasting more than two weeks or a severe cough that occurs in sudden, uncontrollable bursts, especially if followed by vomiting. Your healthcare provider will contact the Anchorage Health Department as pertussis is considered a reportable disease.
- The Alaska Division of Public Health recommends seeing your provider to keep vaccines up-to-date. Children under seven years old receive a series of five vaccinations called the DTap. Everyone seven and older, including adults, can receive the TDap vaccine to prevent or lessen the severity of pertussis.
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Check your Health Records
