Whooping cough case confirmed at Del Valle High School, APH says

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Public Health (APH) on Wednesday confirmed one case of whooping cough (pertussis) in a person who attends both Del Valle High School and Del Valle Early College High School. APH said it is currently seeing an uptick in whooping cough cases.

APH said the schools have issued notification letters about the case and are actively monitoring the situation.

"Austin Public Health reminds residents that vaccination remains the best protection against serious illness. Seek medical care if you notice symptoms such as prolonged coughing fits, difficulty breathing, or vomiting during or after coughing," APH said in a statement to KXAN.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms of whooping cough can appear like a common cold.

It can also take somewhere between five to 10 days for symptoms to appear after exposure to bacteria that cause whooping cough, according to the CDC. Symptoms can also take up to three weeks to develop.

APH stressed to the public to find a pharmacy offering the whooping cough vaccine, they can visit vaccines.gov.