WASHINGTON — A highly contagious respiratory disease, whooping cough, has surfaced again in Montgomery County.

A student at Gathersburg High School has been diagnosed with the disease, which brings the total students diagnosed to 16 at eight public schools.

Symptoms appear similar to a common cold at first, and then develop further.

Health workers tell the Washington Post that all six students had gotten their vaccination.

Many of the affected students had something in common — they attended the same camp session at Capital Camps & Retreat Center, which included third-grade students through college-aged counselors.

WTOP’s John Aaron contributed to this report.

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