Whooping Cough Case Confirmed in Crestwood School District

Pennsylvania officials have confirmed that a student in the Crestwood School District, about 100 miles north of Philadelphia, has contracted whooping cough. Another student has also shown symptoms of the disease.

A letter was sent to parents in the school district alerting them that the highly-contagious disease was present.

Whooping cough, or pertussis as it is medically known, spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It's also identified by the long series of coughs followed by a whooping noise.

Pertussis immunizations are required for students, but exemptions are available for religious and medical reasons.

Parents whose children exhibit symptoms should contact a doctor and keep their child home from school.