Three Shakopee Students Diagnosed With Whooping Cough

Three students at  have been diagnosed with whooping cough, according to a letter that went out to parents today from the school nurse.

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection, according to the Mayo Clinic website. In many people, it's marked by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like "whoop."

Before the vaccine was developed, whooping cough was considered a childhood disease, the site says. Now whooping cough primarily affects children too young to have completed the full course of vaccinations and teenagers and adults whose immunity has faded.

Once someone is infected with whooping cough, it can take one to three weeks for signs and symptoms to appear. They're usually mild at first and resemble those of a common cold:

• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Sneezing
• Red, watery eyes
• A mild fever
• Dry cough

After a week or two, signs and symptoms worsen. Thick mucus accumulates inside your airways, causing uncontrollable coughing.

The letter to parents stresses that any child with coughing symptoms such as those above should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. Those with concerns can contact Scott County Public Health at (952) 496-8584.

Read the entire letter here.