Outbreak of whooping cough confirmed at San Juan High in Blanding

San Juan High School reported an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, in the past week, resulting in a number of actions in an attempt to control the infectious disease.
Officials report that two students at the school were diagnosed with the respiratory disease, which is characterized by almost uncontrollable and persistent coughing. Pertussis is dangerous, with the highest level of severe complications in infants.
Studies show that the best way to protect against pertussis is immunization. Children are immunized against pertussis with the DTaP vaccination battery.
The Southeastern Utah District Health Department (SEUDHD) announced after the case was confirmed that students with a confirmed case of pertussis would be excluded from the public schools and school activities for 21 days or until they have taken five days of appropriate antibiotics.
The school will also be cleaned, sanitized and watched for students or staff with symptoms.
In addition, any student that has not received a vaccination is excluded from the schools until the outbreak is contained. San Juan School District Superintendent Douglas Wright reports that 13 students at the school had not received the vaccination.
Wright reports that the school district has been meeting with the SEUDHD to discuss the public health actions. A statement was expected to be released on February 17, after the press deadline.
After decades of decreasing incidents of pertussis, the rates have increased in recent years. In 2012, roughly 50,000 cases were reported in the United States, with 20 reported deaths. It was the highest incidence since the mid-1950s.
There were less than 30,000 cases reported in 2013, with a 40 percent increase in 2014.
The pertussis outbreak comes on the heels of an outbreak of measles that included some cases in Utah. It has led to a renewed public conversation about immunizations.
Worthy Glover, Jr., of the San Juan Public Health Office, reports that 84.5 percent of students from San Juan County are “adequately immunized” as they enter kindergarten. The immunization rate in southeast Utah ranges from a high of 94.2 percent in Grand County to a low of 5.1 percent in Emery County.
The public health response is being handled by SEUDHD. The new San Juan Public Health Office will assume responsibility for the public health efforts beginning in July, 2015.