Less than a month into a new school year, a case of whooping cough has been reported at Pierson Middle-High School, according to The Sag Harbor Express.
The Suffolk County Department of Health Services reported a case of pertussis, a bacterial disease, in a letter sent home to parents and staff on Sept. 24.
Those with whooping cough are infectious for 21 days from the start of the cough or until they've been on antibiotics for a full five days.
Last spring, the health department reported cases of pertussis at East Hampton Middle School and the Springs School, and in December there was a reported case at Southampton Elementary School.
According to the health department, schools throughout the county continue to see a rise in cases of the highly contagious bacterial respiratory illness. Over 300 were reported in 2011, compared to just 54 in 2010 and 75 in 2009.
For more on the case in Sag Harbor, click here to read The Express.
