Press Release
Public Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KCPHD Working With Discovery Lab to Address Pertussis

Kittitas County, WA - 12/23/2024 - The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) received notification of a positive pertussis (also known as whooping cough) case for a four year old child. Currently, the case does not appear to have any link to the recent pertussis case with the Ellensburg High School Wrestling team. KCPHD is working with the family around potential contacts with others. Those potential contacts include Discovery Lab in Ellensburg.

 
KCPHD is recommending that any child who has attended Discovery Lab in the last two weeks get tested for pertussis [PCR test]. If your child attended Discovery Lab in the last two weeks and your child has upper respiratory symptoms, please also contact your healthcare provider for your child to be seen in person in addition to the recommended pertussis testing.
 
In addition, KCPHD recommends that families who have had children at Discovery Lab any time during the last two weeks to stay home and not attend any events or gatherings through the end of the year  We make these recommendations so that individuals are not exposing large groups of people. Pertussis is spread from person to person through the air when someone with pertussis coughs or sneezes.  An individual with pertussis can be contagious two weeks after the cough starts.  An individual may also not show signs of illness for 7 to 10 days after exposure.
 
KCPHD will continue to make decisions on a case by case basis, comprehensively with all the variables involved, in order to contain the spread of pertussis in our community.  Pertussis can cause severe cough and can be especially dangerous for infants, according to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).  Whooping Cough | Washington State Department of Health has more information about the symptoms and prevention.
 
Vaccination is the best prevention for pertussis.  Vaccinations for pertussis are called Dtap or Tdap, depending on the age of the individual.  The vaccine provides protection against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis in one vaccine. Please contact your healthcare provider regarding the vaccination.
 
For more information about pertussis, please visit DOH or the Centers for Disease Control or Prevention (CDC).  For vaccinations and testing, please contact your local healthcare provider.  For additional questions about this news release, please contact KCPHD at 509-962-7515.
 

• KCPHD Working With Discovery Lab to Address Pertussis.pdf
• SPANISH KCPHD Working With Discovery Lab to Address Pertussis.pdf

Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us

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Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, 509-962-7515

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