JACKSON - A student at Jackson Liberty High School has tested positive for pertussis, also known as whooping cough, the fourth incident of the disease in the school district in just over a month.

In a letter to parents and staff members, Superintendent Stephen Genco said the district is working with the Ocean County Health Department to "monitor the situation." Other whooping cough cases were confirmed in students at Holman Elementary School, Elms Elementary School and McAuliffe Middle School.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pertussis is a "highly contagious" respiratory disease.

"Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After coughing fits, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breaths, which result in a 'whooping' sound," the CDC explains on its website. "Pertussis can affect people of all ages, but can be very serious, even deadly, for babies less than a year old."

Learn more about whooping cough in a video at the top of the page.

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The early symptoms of whooping cough include a runny nose, low-grade fever and a mild, occasional cough, the CDC said. But after one or two weeks, the symptoms can grow to include coughing fits and the namesake, high-pitched 'whooping' sound, vomiting and exhaustion during or after coughing fits, according to the CDC.

The cough is often worse at night, but the 'whoop' is not present in all cases.

"If your child has been around someone with pertussis, s/he might become sick with the disease," Genco said. "This is especially true if your child is not up-to-date with his/her pertussis vaccine shots. Even if your child’s shots are up-to-date, s/he might still get pertussis."

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The New Jersey Department of Health recommends that anyone who had close contact with someone who tests positive for pertussis should receive antibiotics from their doctors.

The Health Department discourages parents from sending their children to school if they believe they have contracted it.

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Mike Davis; @byMikeDavis; 732-643-4223; mdavis@gannettnj.com