By May 23, the school had reported four separate incidents of the sickness at its Torpy and Kite street campuses.

Whooping cough starts like a cold with a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, a mild fever and an occasional cough. 

The cough usually gets worse and severe bouts of uncontrollable coughing develop and can be followed by vomiting, choking or taking big gasping breaths which causes the whooping sound and can be especially harmful to infants.

NSW Health communicable disease control and surveillance coordinator Priscilla Stanley said there were several things affected and non-affected families could do to ensure whooping cough did not spread.

“We’re quite happy to provide information about whooping cough and what parents should do whose children are unwell, and also those who are healthy,” she said.

“The children that have been diagnosed have hopefully seen their GP and have commenced antibiotics.

“The child must then be on the course of antibiotics for five days before they can return to school.”

Ms Stanley said a cough may persist after this five-day period, but would no longer be contagious.

Those who are not affected should be wary and see their GP as soon as their child shows flu-like symptoms.

A Department of Education spokesperosn said once a case of whooping cough was confirmed at Orange Public School, the school notified parents of students in that class and provided relevant public health information. 

Advice and information was then communicated to all parents at the school.

bryson.ferreira@fairfaxmedia.com.au