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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Co-owner of historic Butte Creek Mill remembered for her generous spirit ... Jackson County firefighters train for 'mayday' scenarios ... Medford pair sold phony health device ... Co-owner of historic Butte Creek Mill remembered for her generous spirit ... Jackson County firefighters train for 'mayday' scenarios ... Medford pair sold phony health device ... ASHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Comment By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Apr. 17, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated Apr 17, 2015 at 4:54 PM By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Apr. 17, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated Apr 17, 2015 at 4:54 PM » Social News A single case of whooping cough was reported last week at John Muir Magnet School but does not appear to have spread, Ashland School District Director of Student Services Samuel Bogdanove confirmed Thursday. The case was reported April 8, soon after the student was diagnosed with pertussis, better known as whooping cough, whose early symptoms resemble those of a common cold: runny nose, nasal congestion, watery eyes, fever and coughing. The student was immediately pulled from school and Bogdanove does not know whether or not the student has returned or what their current health status is. John Muir principal Deirdre Pearson could not be reached for comment. Citing confidentiality, Bogdanove declined to reveal the age or sex of the infected child. John Muir serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Bogdanove said the district follows a specific procedure when a child comes down with a contagious disease. “We report it to the Department of Health and then figure out if there were any other points of contact with other students,” he said. “Then we wait and see if other kids break out with it. Fortunately, in this case, no others have.” The district also sent out a letter to parents informing them of the case. The fact that the John Muir has not reported another case yet is very good news. “Based on the date of exposure,” Bogdanove said, “we would have heard about it by now.” Jackson County Health and Human Services Medical Director Dr. Jim Shames said the case is not cause for alarm. “We probably will have dozens of cases of whooping cough this year,” he said. “It’s spread all over the country, and in fact there are quite a few cases in Eagle Point, in the northern part of the county. So getting a confirmed case of whooping cough, while it’s not a good thing, it’s also not terribly unusual.” Shames added that pertussis is preventable through immunization and that it’s important for families to stay up to date on their shots in order to protect those who are more vulnerable. “It’s an annoyance for adults and children, but it’s a devastating disease to newborns,” Shames said. “So we need to do our best as a community to get as many people immunized as we can to protect pregnant women and newborns.” Joe Zavala is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 541-821-0829 or [email protected]. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Apr. 17, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated Apr 17, 2015 at 4:54 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501