Whooping Cough Alert Hits Parkway Middle School

Parents and staff at Parkway Northeast Middle School were notified of a confirmed case of pertussis, or whooping cough, this week.

A district spokesperson said it was a single case reported to St. Louis County health officials.

It was not clear whether it was student or staff that contracted the illness.

Northeast Middle is in Creve Coeur, but is part of the Chesterfield-based Parkway school system.

According to a St. Louis County Health Department fact sheet distributed to parents, whooping cough:

• "(Is) a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes a persistent cough lasting several weeks or even months.
• It is caused by a bacterium (germ), Bordetella pertussis, which is found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person."

Information distributed to school parents and staff included recommendations from county officials suggesting:

• Keep a child with cold symptoms and a cough home from school.
• Infants under six months are particularly at risk if they contract the illness.
• Children need to be kept up-to-date on pertussis immunization, in addition to pursuing treatment.