Month: December 2019

Whooping cough cases on the rise here, Health Department says

A Unified Government Health Department flier outlined steps that can be taken to reduce the spread of whooping cough. (Unified Government Health Department flier)

The Unified Government Health Department is reporting an increase in the number of whooping cough cases.

“We are seeing more than what we’ve seen in the previous past five years,” a spokesman for the Health Department stated.

However, exact numbers of cases were unavailable because they are still collecting information and because of patient confidentiality, she said.

“At this point we are not able to share an exact number of cases,” said Elizabeth Groenweghe, chief epidemiologist at the UG Public Health Department. “Typically we see about 15-20 cases of pertussis in Wyandotte County each year and so far for 2019 we have seen substantially more than that. This is the largest number of cases reported to us in the last five years.”

According to Groenweghe, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has seen an increase in pertussis in other counties in Kansas, but the exact numbers and the amount of increase across the state are not available.

Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control reported 18,975 pertussis cases in 2017 and 13,439 cases in 2018, according to the latest figures available on the CDC website. There were 10 deaths reported from pertussis nationally in 2018, with four of them under 1 year old.

The CDC’s website stated Kansas reported 122 cases of pertussis with 4.19 cases per 100,000 persons for 2017.

Residents here are being advised to take steps to prevent the spread of whooping cough.

“Pertussis can be very contagious and especially serious in young babies,” Groenweghe said. “If you suspect you or your child may have pertussis, it is important to get evaluated by a doctor or other health care provider.”

According to health officials, whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection easily spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing.

Early symptoms include a runny nose, mild cough and low-grade fever, according to officials. It can progress to a severe cough after one or two weeks, and the cough could last weeks or months. Sometimes the cough leads to coughing fits or vomiting, or both. Some persons with pertussis may cough so violently that they make a loud “whooping” sound, according to officials.

While anyone may get pertussis, it can be very dangerous for infants and people with weakened immune systems, officials stated. Family members with pertussis, especially siblings and parents, may spread pertussis to newborns.

Persons who have been diagnosed with pertussis and their family members should remain home from all activities, including work, school and day care, until they have completed the prescribed antibiotics to treat pertussis, officials stated. Those who have pertussis are contagious for three weeks after the cough starts or until they complete antibiotic treatment.

The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated, officials stated. Safe and effective pertussis vaccines are available for babies and young children, and boosters for preteens. Also, pregnant women should receive a vaccine during their 27th to 36th weeks of pregnancy. Vaccinations are available at regular health care providers, at most clinics or at a local health department.

More information for individuals and families: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/index.html.
More information for medical providers: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/index.html.
To contact the UG Public Health Department, call 913-573-8855.

The Centers for Disease Control charted the pertussis incidence nationally by age group over 27 years, ending in 2017, by age groups, and found a rise between 2010 and 2017. More cases were reported in persons who were less than 1 year old. (CDC graphic)

KCKCC loses eight sophs off best unranked Jayhawk volleyball team

Eight sophomores made outstanding contributions in their two years at KCKCC. They are, front row, from left, Tara Mattingly and Amilex Lopez; middle row, Gracie Golay and Natalia Vega Aponte; back row, Madison Wright, Lauren Leavendusky, Malaysia StClair and Allayah Stillwell. (KCKCC photo)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Arguably the best team in the Jayhawk Conference not ranked in the Top 20 nationally, an 18-15 record belies the success of volleyball at Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2019.

Of the 15 losses, 14 were teams ranked in the Top 20 NJCAA Division II teams in the nation including teams ranked No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 when the Blue Devils played them.

The six teams that finished ahead of KCKCC in the Jayhawk Conference all finished in the Top 20 including four in the Top 10. The Blue Devils also played eight of the 16 teams in the national tournament and defeated three of them, Kirkwood, Illinois Central and Waubonsee.

“We had an excellent season although our record may not reflect on how good a team this was,” KCKCC coach Mary Bruno-Ballou said. “We played a tough schedule and were never blown out of a match; a couple of games but never a match. I’m very proud of this team. It worked very hard and competed with everyone we played.”

Now Bruno-Ballou faces the task of replacing eight sophomores who contributed so heavily this past season. They are:

Tara Mattingly, outside hitter from Wichita Northwest – Honorable mention All-Jayhawk and second team All-District A, Mattingly led the Blue Devils in total kills with 368, an average of nearly 3.5 kills a set.

“When we needed a point, we’d give it to Tara,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Gracie Golay, setter from Wichita Trinity Academy – “The glue that kept the team together,” Bruno-Ballou said. Playing in every match and every set, Golay had 902 assists while running either a 5-1 or 6-2 offense,

Malaysia StClair, middle blocker from Beaumont, Texas – Raw but very athletic, played little as a freshman.

“Malaysia trained hard in the spring and summer and ended up one of starting middles averaging nearly a block a set,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Lauren Leavendusky, right side from Holton – A redshirt sophomore after suffering a knee injury in the spring of 2018, Leavendusky rebounded from surgery to be a big contributor in 2019.

“She worked hard rehabbing and came back and was a great addition,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Allayah Stillwell, right side from Summit Christian – A team co-captain, Stillwell was switched from middle to right side to take advantage of her blocking ability and averaged almost a block a set.

“Just a great team leader,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Natalia Vega Aponte, libero from Bayamon, Puerto Rico – Team leader in digs with nearly 500 and service aces.

“Always competitive, she averaged 4.5 digs per set and led the team in passing average with 2.3 average,” Bruno-Ballou said.

Madison Wright, right side from Piper – “A valuable versatile utility player,” Bruno-Ballou said. “She could go in and play any position we asked of her except the middle. A great team player, always positive.”

Amilex Lopez, right side from Aguirre, Puerto Rico – Team co-captain and first team All-District A selection. After an outstanding freshman season, Lopez suffered severe ankle sprain in pre-season workouts and played back row averaging three digs per set.

“Amilex was a force to be reckoned with when she got back to the front row,” Bruno-Ballou said. “One of the most competitive players I’ve known.”

The cupboard won’t be completely bare for 2020, however, with the return of seven freshmen headed by outside hitter Cassidy Crist of DeSoto and middle blocker Michelle Dvorak of Park Hill South.

Crist was the Blue Devils’ second leading scorer with 311 kills while Dvorak came back from a sprained ankle to average two kills per game.

Also returning is Justice Davis, a right side from Albuquerque, N.M., who was the starting right side before suffering a knee injury in mid-season.

Freshman blocked from playing time because of playing behind sophomores include 6-0 McKenna Johnson of Christ Prep Academy, who will be groomed as a setter and attacker in the spring; and three players from Puerto Rico, setter Adriana Velez and defensive specialists Nicole Almestica and Julianie Laboy.

Florida man sentenced for credit card skimming in Kansas

A Florida man who planted credit card skimming devices on ATMs in Kansas was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.


Carlos Alberto Campos Rojas, 29, Summerfield, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud. In his plea, he admitted placing skimming devices and pinhole cameras on ATMs in Overland Park and Olathe.


A corporate security officer notified local police, who did surveillance to identify a rental car that visited the ATMs on a daily basis. They followed the car back to a hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.


McAllister commended the Overland Park and Olathe police departments, the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.