Click to Translate to English Click to Translate to French  Click to Translate to Spanish  Click to Translate to German  Click to Translate to Italian  Click to Translate to Japanese  Click to Translate to Chinese Simplified  Click to Translate to Korean  Click to Translate to Arabic  Click to Translate to Russian  Click to Translate to Portuguese  Click to Translate to Myanmar (Burmese)

PANDEMIC ALERT LEVEL
123456
Forum Home Forum Home > Coronavirus Pandemic: State Discussion Forums > Select Your State - And join the discussion > Maine
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Portland:  Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Now tracking the new emerging South Africa Omicron Variant

Portland: Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
Technophobe View Drop Down
Assistant Admin
Assistant Admin
Avatar

Joined: January 16 2014
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 88450
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Technophobe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Portland: Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
    Posted: December 12 2019 at 2:41am
Pertussis outbreak reported at Freeport High School

Three cases of the highly contagious respiratory disease have been reported at the school in the last two weeks, and Maine has recorded 337 cases statewide through October.

Posted Yesterday at 5:09 PM
Updated December 11

Freeport High School is dealing with an outbreak of pertussis, a highly contagious preventable disease, with three cases over the past two weeks.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday confirmed the outbreak, which is defined as three or more cases of an infectious disease at one location in a close time frame. Maine has the highest rate of pertussis in the country, and is reporting 337 cases through October of this year.

The state recorded 446 cases in 2018, and Maine’s pertussis rate of 33.16 cases per 100,000 was more than eight times the national average.

So far in 2019, 48 percent of all pertussis cases occurred in children ages 11-18, the Maine CDC said.

“We care deeply about student health and are monitoring our students closely for symptoms while at school,” Becky Foley, superintendent for RSU 5, said in a letter to parents. “Pertussis is an infection that affects the airways, and spreads easily from person to person by coughing or sneezing.”

Pertussis is a bacterial infection that causes a violent cough that can trigger vomiting and exhaustion. The cough – known commonly as whooping cough – can last up to 10 weeks and can be treated with antibiotics. Elderly people and babies too young to be vaccinated are especially vulnerable to serious cases, which may require hospitalization and can lead to death.
Advertisement

Other pertussis outbreaks in 2019 occurred in Portland, Falmouth and Saco schools.

Maine’s low vaccination rates are a contributing factor for why Maine experiences high rates of pertussis, researchers have said. Also, the vaccine has waning effectiveness, which is why a middle school booster shot is recommended.

Maine was one of the last states in the nation to add the booster as a middle school requirement, starting in the 2017-18 school year. So about half of the current high school population would not have been required to get a pertussis booster shot in middle school.

Maine has one of the highest voluntary opt-out rates for school-required vaccines in the nation, and in 2018-19, the latest year data was available, the voluntary opt-out rate for those entering kindergarten was 5.6 percent. Maine lawmakers approved a law that, starting in 2021-22, would eliminate all non-medical opt-outs for school-required vaccines, getting rid of philosophic and religious exemptions. A group opposed to the new law has collected enough voter signatures to place a proposal to overturn it on the March 2020 ballot.

Source:   https://www.centralmaine.com/2019/12/11/pertussis-outbreak-at-freeport-high-school/
How do you tell if a politician is lying?
His lips or pen are moving.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down