Stafford may have whooping-cough case

STAFFORD — A student at Winding Creek Elementary School may have pertussis, according to a Stafford County Public Schools letter sent to parents late last week.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is highly contagious.

The child who may have been affected is a fifth-grader.

Parents were given further instructions and details in the letter, including what to look for if symptoms develop within their own children. Symptoms of pertusis include a runny nose, sneezing and a low-grade fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control. After one to two weeks, according to the CDC, the symptoms may progress to bursts of numerous rapid coughs, with a final recovery stage of coughing that can last for weeks or months. 

There is also a vaccine for pertusis — part of the DTaP vaccination — which can prevent the disease.

— Staff reports