St. Vrain Valley School District Warns About Whooping Cough

LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) - Parents and students in the St. Vrain Valley School Districtt are being warned to watch out for symptoms of whooping cough.

The warning comes after a student at Longmont High School was diagnosed with whooping cough. It's very contagious.

Whooping cough usually strikes older children and adults because the immunity from childhood vaccines wears off with time.

Symptoms start with a cold-like a runny nose or sore throat and then the whooping sounding cough begins. It can last up to three months. There can be gagging or vomiting after coughing episodes.

School officials are asking parents to get any child who might show symptoms to a doctor.

Longmont High School is the same school where health officials tested for tuberculosis earlier this month. More than 120 students were tested and about half showed positive results for latent TB, which is not contagious. The testing began when one student was found with active tuberculosis.