COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA (AP) -- More cases of whooping cough have been confirmed in the Council Bluffs area, prompting officials to offer immunizations.
The Daily Nonpareil says the Lewis Central Community School District now has two confirmed cases of the disease. The district will be offering free vaccinations next week.
Council Bluffs Health Director Donn Dierks says more than two-dozen confirmed and probable cases have shown up since late August.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, can be very dangerous for infants and the elderly.
It starts with cold-like symptoms, but within a week or two, the patient develops uncontrollable coughing spells. These coughs are accompanied by the telltale whooping sound as the patient gasps for air.
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