Upstate Child diagnosed with Whooping Cough

An Anderson County elementary student has been diagnosed with pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.  Our media partners at the South Carolina Radio Network report Palmetto Elementary School was notified on Saturday that the student has the serious, highly contagious disease.  Anderson School District One officials say as soon as the diagnosis was verified; the district contacted the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and communicated the information to parents. Whooping cough is caused by bacteria that can be especially dangerous for infants and children under 5 years of age. It is spread when people are exposed to the respiratory droplets of an infected person. It is very contagious and can spread, on average to 80% of those encountering a sick person. Most children under 6 years of age have received a series of shots to protect them from whooping cough. However, that protection wears off in 5-10 years. That makes older children, teens and adults more likely to contract the infection and spread it to others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incubation period is commonly 7-10 days, with a range of 4-21 days, and rarely may be as long as 42 days.