Blue Springs High School confirms case of contagious illness
A case of the contagious respiratory infection known as whooping cough has been confirmed at Blue Springs High School.
In an email sent to parents Tuesday, Wendell Fuimaono, principal at Blue Springs High School, disclosed that one case of Pertussis had been confirmed in the school and encouraged parents to keep a close eye on their children.
Pertussis, commonly known as the whooping cough, causes serious bacterial infections in babies and immunocompromised people.
“It takes all of us to keep our school healthy,” Fuimaono said in the email. “Please keep all ill students at home until they feel better, have been cleared by a doctor for return to school, or have been ruled out as having an Infectious disease.”
Whooping cough spreads though coughing and sneezing, according to Fuimaono. It may take 5 to 21 days for symptoms to appear and is contagious from the onset of symptoms through 21 days. The coughing attacks happen mostly at night and can last up to three months.
Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, mild cough, fever, explosive bursts of coughing that can end in vomiting and a high pitched-whoop.
“Please encourage your student to cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing by using a tissue or their sleeve, and remind them to practice good hand hygiene,” Fuimaono said.
According to Fuimaono, custodial staff at Blue Springs High School will continue to disinfect high-touch surfaces.
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 1:04 PM.
CORRECTION: This story previously categorized whooping cough incorrectly. It is a bacterial infection.
