Craven County — Four schools are warning parents of suspected cases of whooping cough affecting nine children in Craven County. in some of the suspected cases the children became sick despite getting vaccinated for the disease.Whooping cough, or pertussis, causes violent coughing that causes people to gasp for air. Doctor David Tayloe at Coastal Children’s Clinic in new Bern says it can become deadly in infants under six months old.Craven County Health Department nurses say the one confirmed case involved a young child that was treated at CarolinaEast Regional Medical Center. Nurses say that two older siblings at Creekside Elementary also likely have whooping cough.Nurses say none of the children in that family were vaccinated for whooping cough because of their religious convictions. All six children involved in other possible cases did have their vaccinations but still potentially came down with the disease.Students at Creekside Elementary, Arthur Edwards Elementary, James W. Smith Elementary, and H.J. MacDonald Middle School all received notes to go to their parents warning them of the symptoms of whooping cough. Some students in close contact to the sick children have been treated for the disease.

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