The Anchorage School District on Wednesday warned families that a case of whooping cough had been confirmed at Goldenview Middle School with one suspected case each at Bear Valley Elementary School and South High School.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease also known as pertussis. The bacterial infection may cause violent, uncontrollable coughing that can make it difficult to breathe. It spreads through respiratory droplets, including by coughing and sneezing, and sharing saliva.
The school district, in an email Wednesday to families, said there “could be a risk of infection to others” and provided a list of pertussis symptoms.
The district wants families to be on the lookout for any signs of infection, said Kathy Bell, director of health care services. Students should not go to school if they’re experiencing symptoms of pertussis, Bell said.
Alaska has seen a significant spike in cases of whooping cough this year. By July there were roughly five times more reported cases than there were during all of 2023, according to data from the state Department of Health.
The case at Goldenview is the first pertussis case confirmed within the school district in recent years, Bell said, adding that there have been just a few confirmed in the more than 25 years she’s worked at the district.
It can take up to seven days to receive results from a whooping cough test, but the illness can be easily treated with antibiotics, officials said. The school district advised families to contact their health care providers if students showed any symptoms, including a cough lasting more than two weeks or a severe cough with sudden, uncontrollable bursts.
The disease is preventable with a vaccine.