SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. -- Several local elementary school students were diagnosed with a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease.

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The first case of whooping cough, or pertussis, was diagnosed last week. So far, five cases have been confirmed. All of the patients are students at Freedom Elementary.

Bullitt County Public Health Director Ned Fitzgibbons said they are doing everything they can to keep families safe.

"Just pay more attention, watch my kids and just hope that they'll be OK," said parent Alicia Howell.

"It's a respiratory illness and it is unfortunately extremely contagious," said Fitzgibbons. "We had another case that tested positive on Friday and then we came in today and some tests had gone on over the weekend and we had three more positives."

Fitzgibbons said the symptoms are coughing, a runny nose and achiness.

"The worse that it gets, the deeper and longer the cough is going to be, and the term whooping cough, when you get done coughing, you tend to want to take a really deep breath and that's why it's caused whooping cough," he said.

Fitzgibbons said it will usually run its course in three weeks, but it's important for those diagnosed to receive antibiotics so it doesn't continue to spread.

Fitzgibbons said there used to be up to 30,000 deaths a year caused by whooping cough, but that is no longer the case.

"Between the vaccine and antibiotics that can treat it, the chances of it becoming a life-threatening illness have been greatly, greatly reduced," he said.

Fitzgibbons said for now, parents should simply be aware.

"You just kind of hope your kids don't get it," Howell said.

Fitzgibbons said there is no reason to keep your child from school unless they have symptoms. He said right now they are tracking down all the people who have had contact with the kids who have been diagnosed, to make sure they haven't been affected -- or if they have, to make sure they get treatment.

"It is nothing to panic about," Fitzgibbons said. "We just got to go through the medical process, so you and your child and the rest of your family are going to be safe."