Central Middle School is no longer the only Victoria-area school with whooping cough, also known as pertussis.
Island Health says highly infectious cough has now been identified at several area schools. Symptoms are similar to a cold at first, but is then followed by weeks of severe coughing fits in which a high-pitched 'whoop' sound may occur as the patient tries to regain breath.
Medical health officer Dee Hoyano says vaccines have been effective at protecting babies -- but a segment of the population may have waning protection:
"We've had a vaccination program for a number of decades which has been very affective in protecting the most vulnerable, which are the babies. So that part is working very well. What we are noticing is that there's a group of, usually the pre-teen children where we do see more pertussis disease. And also in adults."
Hoyano recommends those affected stay home - as the illness spread very easily.