by Ralph Plath
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (June 06/97) - The elementary school in Fort Simpson was closed for two days and immunization checks are being stepped up after an outbreak of whooping cough was discovered in the village.

The local DEA decided to close Bompas school last Friday and the following Monday after three students were diagnosed with the infection last week.

That figure brings the total number of confirmed cases to 10 since April 1. Last Thursday, the public health unit began double-checking children for immunization and handing out vaccine packages to parents.

"It's those babies and pre-schoolers who haven't been immunized who are at risk," said nurse-in-charge Tammy Irving. "It can cause death."

Whooping cough is an infection caused by bacteria with symptoms that include a runny nose and persistent and escalating coughing. After a coughing attack, the child may give a loud whoop while breathing in, hence the name. During the attack, the child may turn blue in the face and will often vomit.

Whooping cough easily spreads from person to person by touch or through the air. Infected people can spread germs from the time they get infected until up to three weeks after the coughing attack starts. It usually takes from seven to 10 days for someone to come down with whooping cough after coming in contact with the germ.

This outbreak is the first one Fort Simpson has been hit with in the past few years, said medical health officer Dr. Andre Corriveau.

"We've had sporadic outbreaks in the Mackenzie region in the last three years," he added. "Most people don't get permanent immunity after taking the vaccine. Often, people will have milder effects and will not be suspected of having it. By the time you know there's an outbreak, it's too late to do much about it."

Yellowknife suffered through a similar outbreak in 1993 but regular immunization of children prevented major spreading of the infection. While vaccines are given to help prevent whooping cough those who have contracted it are treated with an antibiotic over a 14-day period.

"If you take the medication for the prescribed time, it won't necessarily stop the cough but it won't be contagious any more," Irving explained.

Still, the current vaccine being used is only 60-70 per cent effective.

Corriveau said a new vaccine should be available in the next few weeks, which will give 90 per cent immunity and have less side effects, such as fever, crying and sleepiness, that the current vaccine produces.

"It's going to be a big improvement," Corriveau said.