Whooping cough spreads to Kelso School District

LONGVIEW — Whooping cough has spread to the Kelso School District, with eight cases of the illness confirmed by Tuesday morning, the district reported.

Half of the cases were reported at the high school, while the other four involved students from Coweeman and Huntington middle schools and Wallace and Beacon Hill elementary schools.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease spread through the air. It causes cold-like symptoms and violent, uncontrollable coughing that usually is worse at night. The illness can be fatal for small infants.

“It’s mostly worrisome for younger babies and pregnant women,” said Stephanie Toms, district nurse. “Our students are older children … but we might have families that have those people.”

Kelso’s reports of whooping cough follow a growing number of confirmed cases in the neighboring Longview School District. Longview schools first reported that a Mark Morris High School students had caught the illness on Nov. 30. Since then, school officials confirmed seven more cases, according to district spokesperson Rick Parrish.

Parents in both districts have been notified of the cases, and officials are working with the Cowlitz County Health Department to monitor the schools to respond to any new cases.

“We are giving parents (a letter about) what the health department recommends,” Toms said. “No matter what, if they develop a cough, we would advise them to call their physician.”