More and more cases of “whooping cough” have started showing up, mostly in elementary students. According to media reports, there are now 24 reported cases of the Whopping Cough, or Pertussis, in Kittitas County.

Most of the students didn't know they had the whooping cough. Over 150 people have been tested for the condition and fortunately almost all of those tests have come back negative.

Children showing signs of the disease should stay at home and follow the special treatment their doctors gave them. They are required to stay home for at least five days. Students won’t be allowed to go back to school until the parents have provided a letter from their doctor confirming that the disease was cured and that the danger of spreading it to other is over.

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a very contagious disease that is caused by bacteria and it manifests itself by aggressive coughs that resemble a “whoop” sound. The condition is outspread around the globe and the disease is responsible for the death of nearly 300,000 per year.

Youths seem more susceptible to the bacteria than adults; unfortunately, most deaths caused by Pertussis are with infants. The condition can be fatal to infants who are not fully immunized. Even those who receive vaccine against pertussis can lose their immunity as they grow older.

The beginning symptoms are similar to those of a cold: a runny nose, sneezing, fever, mild coughing. The cough gets worst as the condition advances.

A recent study suggests that almost 1 million cases could be annually prevented by regularly vaccinating youngsters and adults against the respiratory illness.