3 whooping cough cases confirmed at Coronado High School

Three cases of whooping cough have been reported at Coronado High School, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

In a letter to parents, the Health District confirmed three students have the disease, and others may have been exposed from Jan. 1 to Jan. 21 while at the Henderson school, located at 1001 Coronado Center Drive.

Students who have not been immunized or who are deemed to be "under-immunized" will not be able to attend school until Feb. 17, the letter said.

The guardians of those students were notified by phone today.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a respiratory disease with early symptoms that reflect the common cold, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The disease eventually leads to coughing fits that can include a "whoop" sound, vomiting and exhaustion.

The illness can cause serious and life-threatening issues for infants and young children.

Health District spokeswoman Stephanie Bethel said the district advises everyone to review their immunizations.

Parents were advised in the letter to monitor their children for respiratory illness and to notify health care providers if the students suffered cold symptoms and coughs for more than a week.