New Whooping Cough Vaccine Requirements Approved for 2013-14 School Year

The Illinois State Board of Health recently approved the new requirements. So far this year, 30 cases of whooping cough have been reported in McHenry County while 299 cases were reported in 2012.

High school students will need to get a whooping cough vaccine next school year under new requirements recently approved by the Illinois State Board of Health. All sixth through twelfth grade students will be required to receive one booster shot of Tdap, which is an immunization against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) for the 2013-14 school year, according to the McHenry County Department of Health press release. Last year, students in sixth through ninth grades were first required to get the vaccine before the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, according to a District 300 press release. “Immunization is a shared responsibility,” said Patrick J. McNulty, administrator for the McHenry County Department of Health (…

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Two Whooping Cough Cases Reported in District 158

The McHenry County Health Department confirms two cases, other suspected cases not yet confirmed.

The McHenry County Health Department confirmed two cases of pertussis, known as whooping cough, in Consolidated School District 158 schools. Health department officials confirmed two cases and there are other suspected cases that have not been confirmed, spokesperson Debra Quackenbush said Friday. The onset was Sept. 13, she said. Health officials confirmed the cases this week. Quackenbush did not indicate how many other District 158 cases are being reviewed. District 158 posted a health message on its website Thursday about three probable cases, two at Marlowe Middle School and one at Huntley High School. Quackenbush did not indicate which cases were confirmed. Several other cases at Marlowe have been referred for follow up to the health …

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Whooping Cough Vaccine Added to Immunization Requirements

Students entering sixth and ninth grade must receive the Pertussis vaccine.

Health officials are reminding parents of a new vaccine requirement for teens entering sixth and ninth grades aimed at curbing the outbreak of Pertussis, or whooping cough, in the state. Cases of pertussis have been rising in McHenry County as well as throughout the state. McHenry County’s outbreak started in August 2011 and continued to July 2012 with 384 cases reported, McHenry County Department of Health officials said. In a typical year, the county averages 20 cases of pertussis.  Kane County has seen 70 cases as of Aug. 6, compared to 54 all of last year, according to a news release from the Kane County Health Department. Illinois has over 1,500 cases reported in 2011 in children under 18, up 40 percent from the previous year, …

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News Analysis: New Whooping Cough Booster Shot Requirement

News Analysis: New Whooping Cough Booster Shot Requirement

News Analysis: New Whooping Cough Booster Shot Requirement

Students entering sixth and ninth grades now much get booster shot.

McHenry County’s whopping cough outbreak this school year was unprecedented, but county and state health officials hope it won’t be repeated thanks to a new vaccine requirement taking effect this fall. The Illinois State Department of Health issued a requirement for students entering sixth or ninth grades requiring a one-time “booster” vaccine for Pertussis, or whopping cough. The Illinois State Superintendent of Education endorsed the requirement. Students must have an appointment to get the vaccine or have an approved medical or religious exemption. McHenry County was hit particularly hard by the outbreak with 336 confirmed cases reported from August 2011 to April 2012, said Debra Quackenbush, Community Information Coordinator/PIO for …

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Whooping Cough Cases Surpass 300 in County

Cases of pertussis continue to grow.

Health Officials: Whooping Cough Cases Waning

There are currently 273 cases of whooping cough reported in the county, according to the Northwest Herald.

Whooping Cough Cases Grow in County, Statewide

There are 172 cases reported in McHenry County.

The number of whooping cough cases in McHenry County now number 172 — coming close to passing up the record 191 cases reported in the county in 2004, according to the McHenry County Department of Health.  The whooping cough is affecting students in 29 area schools and people in 13 communities. The age of those affected ranges from 3 months to 59 years. As of Nov. 30, with 164 cases reported in the county, the most cases — 54 — were reported in Cary. The other communities with the most cases in the county included Woodstock with 34 whooping cough cases, Crystal Lake with 20 cases and Lake in the Hills with 15 cases. The health department has graphs detailing the breakdown of other communities affected. The health department will partner …

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Poll: Vaccinations and Whooping Cough

Is the whooping cough outbreak in McHenry County a matter of concern for you? Have you and your children received the whooping cough vaccine? Tell us in our polls below.

The number of whooping cough cases continue to climb in McHenry County.  As of Tuesday morning, there were 154 caes of pertussis, or whooping cough, reported in the county.  Take our polls below to let us know if the outbreak is a matter of concern for you. And to read all of our coverage on the whooping cough outbreak, visit here.

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Whooping Cough Cases Number 121 in County

The first cases of whooping cough were reported on Oct. 14. At that time, there were eight cases.

The number of whooping cough cases in the county continues to grow. In total, 121 cases of pertussis or whooping cough have been reported in recent weeks, according to a Monday news release from the McHenry County Health Department. That is up from 99 reported on Nov. 14. The health department first released information on the outbreak on Oct. 14. At that time, there were eight cases. A timeline of the outbreak can be found in this Patch article. It is believed the whooping cough cases originated and then spread at a sporting event at Cary-Grove High School in August, county health officials told Patch in an earlier interview. The health department is urging residents with symptoms of whooping cough, or who are on medication for whooping …

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