Portland State University canceled its football game Saturday morning, after someone in the Vikings locker room developed a case of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.
Portland State had been scheduled to play against the University of South Dakota on Saturday, but doctors from PSU ultimately decided to cancel the game in interest of players’ health, the university said in a Saturday press release.
FILE - The Portland State ball bag before a NCAA college football game, against the Hawaii Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in Honolulu.
Darryl Oumi / AP
The case first entered the Vikings locker room on Thursday, according to the university.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection, and the university said many players and staff were exposed.
Symptoms of whooping cough include a fever and a violent cough, which can lead to broken ribs. Cases of whooping cough can typically be prevented by a vaccine.
It’s unclear if the case came from a player, coach or someone else in the football program.
“It should be noted that no players on the Viking team are seriously ill at this time,” the university said in a Saturday press release.
Neither team has announced if or when the game will be rescheduled. Ticketing refunds will be announced at a later date.
