BUTTE, Mont. (AP) — An outbreak of whooping cough in southwestern Montana includes 22 cases in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County and one in Butte.
Butte-Silver Bow County health officials say the Butte case involved a person at Butte High School who had been vaccinated against the upper respiratory infection that causes intense, uncontrollable coughing. It is spread through direct contact, sneezing and coughing.
The Montana Standard reports (http://bit.ly/Xac7FN ) four new cases were confirmed Wednesday in Anaconda. Forty people have been tested.
Butte-Silver Bow nurse Karen Maloughney says the health department has treated people who were in close contact with the infected person. Normally, agencies wait for two confirmed cases before raising concern, but Maloughney says the department is treating this case aggressively because of large outbreaks in the state in recent years, including some that closed schools.
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Information from: The Montana Standard, http://www.mtstandard.com
