Three Brisbane schools have been struck down with whooping cough within a week.
Cases of the highly contagious infection have been detected at Sunnybank State High School and Albany Creek State School, as well as Brisbane State High School, as reported earlier.
Affected individuals will be excluded from the school until given the all-clear by a doctor.
The Department of Education and Training today confirmed it was working with the three schools to help contain the illness.
Early symptoms of whooping cough are similar to a head cold, such as a runny nose, sneezing and lethargy.
It’s treatable with a course of antibiotics but can be life-threatening for infants and young children.
A CASE of whooping cough has been diagnosed at Brisbane State High School.
The school confirmed the case to parents this morning.
Whooping cough, Pertussis, is a serious contagious respiratory infection.
The Department of Education has been contacted for comment.
Queensland Health has been contacted for comment.
Most dangerous for babies, the disease appears to be like a cold before the characteristic cough develops. The cough can last up to three months.
A person is infectious for the first 21 days of their cough or until they have had five days of a 10-day course of antibiotics.
Immunisations are available and it is treated with antibiotics.
Symptoms:
• runny nose
• sneezing
• cough, which often occurs in bouts
• characteristic ‘whooping’ sound on inhalation
• fever
• vomiting at the end of a bout of coughing
Diagnosis:
Tests used to diagnose whooping cough may include:
• medical history including immunisation status
• physical examination
• blood tests
• swabs of the nose and throat for laboratory testing.
A Metro South Health spokesperson said it was important for parents to keep children who are unwell home from school.
“Whooping cough is primarily a concern for young children who are not vaccinated,” the spokesperson said.
“This is particularly the case for babies under 6 months of age who are too young to have had the three doses required to provide protection.
“Vaccination is strongly recommended for parents and pregnant women. The adult triple antigen vaccination for whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus has recently been funded for and is recommended for women in their last trimester of pregnancy.”