There are five confirmed cases of whooping cough at the Gilbert School in Winsted and school officials have sent a letter warning parents.
School officials said they have notified the state Department of Health, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis and can cause uncontrollable, violent coughing, which often makes it hard to breathe.
Pertussis can affect people of all ages, but it can be very serious, even deadly, for babies less than a year old, according to the CDC.
Gilbert School students who are found to be coughing are sent to the school nurse, who will notify the parents and urge them to take their child to the doctor.
If whooping cough is confirmed, the students are not allowed back in school until after taking antibiotics for five days.
If the test comes back negative for pertussis, the student will need a doctor’s note indicating that.
