Flathead City-County Health Department continues to battle pertussis (whooping cough) and norovirus has appeared in a local nursing home.

 Jody White, RN and director of Community Health Services, reported at the Board of Health meeting last Thursday that a family including a 5-month-old infant had been diagnosed with pertussis just the day prior.

“It’s a pretty sick baby,” White said. “The hospital confirmed pertussis.”

She said the parents, a 2-year-old and grandmother all had symptoms of pertussis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, pertussis starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. In a week or two, severe coughing fits, sometimes causing vomiting, appear that continue for weeks.

In infants, the cough may be minimal or even not there. Babies may exhibit apnea, a pause in their breathing pattern. The CDC said the disease is most dangerous in babies with more than half hospitalized when infected.

White said both children had started the series of pertussis shots recommended for children but had not completed them before they got ill. The parents and grandmother had not had the pertussis vaccine.

The director provided a report to the board that showed the county had 11 lab-confirmed cases and nine epidemiologically linked cases of pertussis since Nov. 1. Five cases were linked to the Bigfork School District where a clinic on Dec. 7 administered 78 immunizations of combined tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccines (Tdap).

 Local providers have been asked to submit specimens for testing provided by Kalispell Regional Medical Center at a reduced cost. Treatment for those diagnosed or suspected exposure is with Zithromycin which costs between $20 and $30 per person.

People ages 10 to 64 may receive the Tdap vaccine. Younger children receive a different version.

White also told board members that she needed to leave the meeting early to investigate an outbreak of norovirus at a local nursing home. The disease causes acute gastroenteritis with vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.

The virus has circulated in the Flathead Valley nearly every winter in recent years.

Norovirus spreads easily from person to person or by touching contaminated surfaces or eating contaminated food or drink. According to the CDC,  norovirus represents the leading cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks.

In comments on flu season, White said Flathead County has enough confirmed cases that the state no longer requires lab testing to confirm influenza. A map on the state Department of Health and Human Services website shows Flathead and Lincoln as two of the three counties with the highest number of flu cases in the state as of Jan. 15.

State health officials say it’s unlikely that flu season has peaked yet. Viruses identified in  Montana and the rest of the United States include 2009 H1N1, A H3N2 and B viruses similar to those chosen for the 2010-2011 flu vaccine so it should provide protection.

The CDC recommends vaccination for everyone 6 months and older even if they received a seasonal shot last year or a vaccination for H1N1.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.