CAPE CORAL, Fla.- CAPE CORAL, Fla.- WINK news has learned that Hector Cafferata Elementary is the school that has student with a possible case of whooping cough. Parents tell us they received a letter about the illness on Tuesday, asking them to watch for cold symptoms in their own children.

Those cold symptoms could turn into a sudden and uncontrollable cough and actually end up being whooping cough, or pertusis. An infected person can spread the illness in the first three weeks if coughing if they are not taking antibiotics.

The highly contagious is easily spread through coughing, sneezing, touching a tissue or sharing items. Symptoms are most severe in infants and can even cause death.

Dan Sardinas is a father of two students at Hector Cafferata Elementary. He says he is keeping a close watch over his son and daughter. He says, "The school did the right thing by notifying the parents, so we just have to keep moving on. We can't live in fear."

The student infected with the possible case of whooping cough is not allowed to return to school until February 15th.



Those cold symptoms could turn into a sudden and uncontrollable cough and actually end up being whooping cough, or pertusis. An infected person can spread the illness in the first three weeks if coughing if they are not taking antibiotics.

The highly contagious is easily spread through coughing, sneezing, touching a tissue or sharing items. Symptoms are most severe in infants and can even cause death.

Dan Sardinas is a father of two students at Hector Cafferata Elementary. He says he is keeping a close watch over his son and daughter. He says, "The school did the right thing by notifying the parents, so we just have to keep moving on. We can't live in fear."

The student infected with the possible case of whooping cough is not allowed to return to school until February 15th.