Probable pertussis outbreak in Amish school in Central Hastings under investigation
The Infectious and Communicable Disease (ICD) team at Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is investigating a probable outbreak of pertussis in an Amish school in the Central Hastings area.
You may see children and adults presenting with pertussis-like symptoms. We encourage you to test, treat and immunize for pertussis. Consider immunizing pregnant women > 26 weeks gestation, who have not yet received an adult dose of pertussis vaccine.
Please advise suspected pertussis cases to avoid contact with young children, infants, and women in their third trimester of pregnancy, until the completion of five days of appropriate antibiotic therapy or 21 days post cough onset. Please also advise symptomatic individuals to remain at home until they are well.
According to the Ministry of Health’s Pertussis case management guide, Macrolide antibiotics such as azithromycin and erythromycin may prevent or moderate clinical pertussis when given during the incubation period or in the early catarrhal stage. During the paroxysmal phase of the disease, antibiotics may not shorten the clinical course but may reduce the possibility of complications. Antibiotics eliminate the organism after a few days of use and thus reduce transmission. For antimicrobials indicated for chemoprophylaxis – refer to page 8 of the Pertussis Case Management Guide.
- To order vaccine: Use our online form.
- For information about immunization:
- For information about testing: Refer to Public Health Ontario site or contact our ICD intake line at 613-966-5500, ext. 349.
- To report suspect cases: contact our ICD intake line at 613-966-5500, ext. 349.
- For questions about case and contact treatment guidelines: Call the ICD Team at 613-966-5500, ext. 349.
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