Puyallup parents concerned about school district’s response to recent whooping cough case

PUYALLUP, Wash. — Puyallup parents are concerned about how their local school district handled a recent case of whooping cough, which is spreading across the region and nation.

Pertussis, widely known as whooping cough, is a very contagious respiratory illness that can begin like a common cold. However, the coughing can last for weeks or months. The disease can also be deadly, especially for infants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Parents told KIRO 7 News that they were notified about a recent case at Zeiger Elementary School last Thursday through the school’s app with the following message:

“Dear Parent or Guardian: Someone in your child’s class was diagnosed with pertussis, also known as whooping cough…”

Effie Rose Santos-Lewis said her husband reached out to the school district Friday to get more details and how the school district is sanitizing the school building to protect students.

However, he never received a response, she added.

“As timely as they are with alerts about district activities and all these things, you would think that this being a safety and a health concern that they would respond immediately,” said Santos-Lewis.

When Narvitious Lewis stopped by the school on Thursday to pick up his children, he said he suddenly became worried about what he saw.

“When I picked up my kids, nobody was wearing a mask. It just seemed like a regular day, like nothing was happening, like there was no whooping cough,” he shared.

Lewis said he’s concerned about the well-being of the children at the school, adding that he believes more students, outside of the impacted class, were possibly exposed to the illness.

“When they [students] first walk into the school, they all walk into the gym, which means every kid in there was exposed to that one kid. And they walk through the hallways to get to their classes, they’re on the playground. These are all the things that are going through my mind,” he shared.

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KIRO 7 News reached out to the school district to get more details about the recent case and its response.

A spokesperson confirmed with us that there have been seven cases of whooping cough within the district since the beginning of the school year, two of which were at Zeiger Elementary.

They provided the following statement:

“It is important to note that this increase in pertussis cases mirrors the nationwide outbreak, partly due to a decline in vaccination rates.

Fortunately, our district has a 99% vaccine compliance rate among students, and our school nurses are diligently working to provide resources and outreach to families who are not yet in compliance. Additionally, we are offering a free immunization clinic on April 21 to further support our community’s health.

In accordance with the Department of Health (DOH) requirements, we notify all individuals who have been in close contact with a confirmed case. At the elementary level, a letter from the health department is sent to families of students in the affected class. At the secondary level, we notify families in each class period. Staff members in such buildings are also informed, directing those in high-risk categories to seek guidance from the nursing office.

The privacy and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and collaborate with local health authorities to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment.”

According to the Washington State Health Department, Washington saw more reported cases of whooping cough in 2025 compared to any other year in the past decade.

The counties currently seeing some of the highest numbers across the state are Pierce with 49, Snohomish with 93, and King with 85.

This year, children ages 1-4 and 14-18 are seeing more cases compared to any other age group.

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