August 15, 2024
NOTIFICATION OF CONFIRMED
PERTUSSIS (WHOOPING COUGH) CASE
Dear Tribal Citizens,
I am reaching out to inform you that the Van Buren/Cass County District Health Department of Michigan notified Pokagon Band Health Services yesterday that a child who attended the Potawatomi Gathering has been diagnosed with pertussis, which is more commonly known as whooping cough.
Pertussis is a contagious (or easily caught) illness that spreads from person-to-person by direct contact or through the air by an infected person’s coughing or sneezing. Pertussis can be a very serious illness that can affect people of all ages, especially in babies and very young children who haven’t had the opportunity to be completely protected through vaccination. It usually takes between 7 to 10 days after contact with an infected person for someone to develop pertussis, but in rare cases it can take up to 21 days or 3 weeks.
Early in the illness, pertussis may seem like a common cold. It can cause sneezing, runny nose, mild dry cough, and low-grade fever. After about 1 to 2 weeks, more serious “coughing spells” that can last for more than a minute may develop and can result in difficulty breathing. At the end of a coughing spell, a person with pertussis may make a high pitched “whooping” sound as they try to catch their breath. Sometimes the coughing will cause gagging or vomiting. Coughing in this latter stage of pertussis tends to be worse at night. Between coughing spells, the person usually does not feel too sick. The cough from pertussis can last 6 weeks or longer.
If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms, please stay home from work, school, childcare, and other activities, and contact your primary care doctor as soon as possible. Please let them know about your possible exposure to pertussis so the proper tests and treatment can be provided. Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics.
Vaccinations for pertussis have made it less common. Most children have been protected against it through their routine childhood vaccinations. However, protection from the vaccine tends to fade over time. If your children are older than age 10, they may need to receive a booster vaccine. Getting sick with pertussis does not provide long-term protection against getting pertussis. If you are not sure about your family’s vaccination history, please check with your primary care provider.
On behalf of Pokagon Health Services, I sincerely appreciate your time and attention. We are currently in the process of contacting everyone who attended the Gathering. If you RSVPed anyone for the Gathering, please share this notice with them. Awareness of the issue will help those suffering from symptoms to seek proper medical diagnosis and care. If you have any questions or concerns, you may also contact Pokagon Band Health Services at (269) 782-4141, extension 1.
More information on Pertussis can also be found on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/
Sincerely,
Priscilla Gatties
Director Pokagon Health Services
Pokégnek Bodéwadmik - Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
Priscilla.Gatties@PokagonBand.nsn.gov