LANCASTER, Pa. -The School District of Lancaster has issued a medical alert on their website that a student at the J.P. McCaskey High School campus, has been diagnosed with Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. It warns parents that other students may have come in contact with the infected student.
The school district’s announcement contains a list of Pennsylvania Department of Health recommendations for parents.
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a contagious disease involving the lungs and airways. It is caused by a bacterium,
Bordetella pertussis,that is found in the nose, mouth, and throat of an infected person. More than 100 cases are reported each year in Pennsylvania, mostly in children. Other cases of pertussis occur but are not diagnosed, especially in adults.
