NORTH ANSON — Three cases of whooping cough have been confirmed in Regional School Unit 74, prompting school district officials to organize a public meeting with the Maine Center for Disease Control on prevention and response to the disease.
“Whooping cough is very dangerous to children who have weak immune systems from genetic disorders or other illnesses, and it is very important to protect these children from getting whooping cough,” said Superintendent Ken Coville and Renee Oesterlin, the school district nurse, in a statement Tuesday. The three cases were all reported at Garret Schenck School, Coville said.
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Parents and other members of the public are invited to a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Carrabec High School, where representatives from the Maine Center for Disease Control will discuss whooping cough prevention.
As of Friday, a total of 339 cases of whooping cough had been reported in Maine this year, according to Dr. Sheila Pinette, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control. That number is slightly higher than the number reported in the same week last year, by which 308 cases had been reported.
“Of course, this is nothing compared to the outbreak we had in 2012,” Pinette said. “Right now we are headed in the right direction.”
In 2012, a total of 737 cases were reported in Maine, the most cases of whooping cough reported since 1959. Pinette was not aware of the three cases recently reported in RSU 74, but said that could be because the center’s data is updated weekly at the end of the week.
The district also reported a confirmed case of whooping cough in January, but would not say at the time what school it was in.
Whooping cough is a respiratory infection characterized by uncontrollable bursts of coughing that make a “whooping” sound and can induce vomiting or cause difficulty breathing. Other symptoms include sneezing, a runny nose and fever.
It is spread through the air and can be contagious in an infected person for about three weeks, according to the CDC.
Health officials recommend that children under the age of 6 complete a vaccination program and receive a booster at age 11, Pinette said. The highest risk of the disease is among 1-year-olds, who are susceptible to pneumonia and other complications as a result of having whooping cough. Others at risk include the elderly and those with weak immune systems.
The district is checking students who have been coughing persistently or are showing other symptoms of pertussis and are contacting their families, Oesterlin said. The students who have the disease are not in school and will be staying home this week, she said.
The district also has sent home letters to parents with facts about whooping cough and vaccine information.
“It’s perfectly treatable; it’s not a reason to be panicking,” Oesterlin said. “Like anything else, we want people to take care of themselves and be responsible. Stay home when you’re sick. Don’t go to work or school if you’re sick.”
Rachel Ohm — 612-2368
Twitter: @rachel_ohm
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