LEBANON — A case of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, has been confirmed in an area school district.
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Lebanon City Schools said a case was confirmed with a kindergarten student last week, according to our news partner WCPO in Cincinnati.
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The school district sent a letter to parents who shared a classroom and bus with the kindergartner.
Warren County Health Commissioner Chris Balster told WCPO that people need to look out for the distinctive sound of the cough.
“You do start to see more of the coughing, and the reason it’s called whooping cough is because it has a very distinct symptom of when you’re in those coughing fits, the body tries to get as much oxygen as it can, so you end up having this very intense intake of breath that sounds like a whoop,” he said.
Health officials say that whooping cough cases are down from this time last year in Warren County.
They added that vaccination is the best protection against pertussis.
There are pertussis vaccines for infants, children, adolescents, and adults.
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