The Ministry of Public Health is encouraging people, especially children and those in physical contact with them, to get vaccinated against whooping cough, after it started spreading in a Bangkok school.

Patumwan Demonstration School in Bangkok announced on Wednesday that it would close and conduct online learning for 15 days to ensure students’ safety after at least two students had been found infected.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is an infectious bacterial disease of the respiratory tract. It spreads easily through the air between people by coughing or sneezing.

Whooping cough mostly occurs in unvaccinated children and at places such as schools and nurseries, said Dr Taweesin Witsanuyothin, director-general of the Department of Medical Services.

The disease usually begins as a common cold and develops to a more serious stage of coughing violently, vomiting and creating a “whooping” sound when breathing, according to Dr Akkarathan Jittanuyanon, director of the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health.

The symptoms can seriously affect high-risk groups, such as infants under 1 year old and pregnant women.

Young people and those at risk are advised to get vaccinated against the disease. Parents should closely monitor their children if they show any symptoms, Dr Akkarathan emphasised.

Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob said on Wednesday that state schools could close temporarily if any whooping cough outbreaks are detected.

Source: Bangkok Post