Alberta Health Services is reminding families of the importance of vaccinations as the South Zone is dealing with a whooping cough outbreak.

In the province there's been a total of 501 cases, the South has seen 259, and the Calgary Zone,which includes High River and Okotoks, has seen 32.

Three lab confirmed cases and six related cases came from Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks back in the late spring.

Dr. Lena Derie-Gillespie, Medical Officer of Health for the AHS South Zone, says while school isn't back in session yet other social situations have led to the spread.

"We pay a lot of attention to that when we're getting ready to go back to school but certainly during the summer we have seen with this outbreak in the South Zone that kids are busy during the summer, they're in summer camps, summer classes, swimming lessons, family reunions, and going to church, and so even though they haven't been in school in the summer we have seen spread of the illness during those other situations as well."

Symptoms may be similar between pertusis and a common cold however pertusis is bacterial and colds are viral.

Derie-Gillespie says it's important people take proper prevention measures.

"We talk a lot about immunization for preventing pertusis, it is what we consider a vaccine preventable disease. Again, hand washing and covering your cough. They really are extremely important for preventing the spread of this illness to other people," she says. "We really do encourage people as well to stay at home when they're sick, particularly don't expose infants and pregnant women when you're unwell."

To find out if vaccines are up to date contact a local public health office.

 

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