3rd Yellowknife school has case of whooping cough

Health officials are warning parents and guardians of children at J.H. Sissons schoolin Yellowknife that their child may have been exposed to a student with whooping cough.

The school sent out a letter Wednesday about the bacterial infection, also called pertussis, which is transmitted though sneezing and coughing. Symptoms include a persistent cough, fever, runny nose and sneezing.

The risk of serious complicationsis highest in babies and people with weakened immune systems.

The whooping cough vaccine is part of the routine N.W.T. immunization schedule, but the protection from early childhood immunizations can start to be less effective by age nine or 10.

The Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority recommends parents contactthe Public Health Unit if theyare uncertain iftheir family's immunizations are up to date.

J.H. Sissons is the third Yellowknife school to have a case of whooping cough this school year. Letters were sent home to parents at William McDonald in September and to parents atRange Lake North in November.