Whooping cough forces cancellation of game between Portland State and South Dakota

HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) — Portland State’s game against South Dakota on Saturday was canceled because of a whooping cough case, the Vikings announced.

“A case of pertussis (whooping cough) got into the Viking team two days ago. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that affects the lungs. As a result, many team members have been exposed to the disease,” Portland State said in a statement.

Medical staffs from both teams met and Portland State determined the game should not be played out of caution.

It was unclear if a Vikings player or other staff member had pertussis. Portland State said no player is seriously ill at this time.

The Vikings said information about ticketing and refunds would be announced later.

South Dakota (1-1) and Portland State (0-2) were set to meet for the first time on Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium.

Portland State is set to visit Boise State next weekend. The Broncos issued a statement saying they are monitoring the situation.

“Our utmost priority and concern are for the health and safety of everyone involved,” Boise State said.

Pertussis is a respiratory infection that is easily spread from person to person but can be prevented by a vaccine. It can be fatal for young children.

The Centers for Disease Control said the number of pertussis cases has grown since a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preliminary data showed that in the first 33 weeks of 2024, there were four times as many cases as the same period in 2023, the CDC reported last month.

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