Mountain View News May 2, 2026 Mountain View News May 2, 2026 
WHOOPING COUGH CASES CONFIRMED 
IN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY 

Pasadena Public Health Department Confirms Four WhoopingCough Cases at Don Benito Fundamental School 


The Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) High-risk contacts, including infants under 1-year,
is investigating an outbreak of four confirmed cases pregnant people, and caregivers of infants, may need 
of whooping cough (pertussis) at Don Benito Fun-pre-ventive antibiotics even without symptoms. Testdamental 
School. PPHD is working closely with the ing and early treatment with antibiotics can treat the 
Pasadena Unified School District and community infection and prevent the spread of whooping cough. 
partners to monitor for additional cases. Guidance Vaccination significantly decreases the likelihood of 
has been provided to all identified close contacts, in-infection, severe illness and further complications and 
cluding instructions for testing, treatment, and home is the best defense. 
isolation if symptoms appear. 

Check that children are up to date on their Diphthe-
Given elevated pertussis activity in the community, ria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) vaccine and chil-
PPHD urges residents to ensure they are up to date on dren ages 11 or 12 years have received their Tetanus, 
pertussis vaccines, consult their health care provider Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) booster. 
if they develop a persistent cough or respiratory illness, 
and stay home when sick to help prevent further Adults, especially pregnant people and caregivers of 
spread. young children, should also ensure that they have 

received a Tdap booster. Clinicians who suspect per-
Parents and caregivers should keep symptomatic chil-tussis should follow the proper treatment guidelines 
dren at home and contact their primary care provider AND conduct the proper confirmatory testing. 
for testing and treatment. Whooping cough spreads 
through coughing or close contact with an infected Children who are suspected with pertussis should not 
person. Symptoms usually appear 5 to 21 days after be allowed to return to school until they have met rec-
exposure. ommended clearance criteria. 

Early symptoms resemble a cold (e.g. sneezing, runny For more information on testing and treatment, visit 
nose, mild cough, and low-grade fever) but the cough the California Department of Public Health’s Pertustypically 
worsens over 1 to 2 weeks. Severe coughing sis website and refer to the “Clinical Guidance” sec-
fits may cause gasping (“whooping”), vomiting, or tion. PPHD currently offers the Tdap vaccine Mondaydifficulty breath-ing. Infants may not cough but may and Wednesday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 
gag, turn red or blue, or briefly stop breathing. A nasal 4:30 p.m. by appointment and walk-ins. Most private 
swab is used to confirm infection. health insurance plans cover the DTaP/Tdap vaccines. 

If you or your family have been exposed to pertussis: For more information, view the list of vaccines. Check 

• Monitor for symptoms for 21 days, especially in with your insurance provider for cost information 
children. and for a list of innetwork vaccine providers. The Vac• 
Watch for worsening cough or breathing cines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines 
difficulties. to children whose parents or guardians may not be 
• Contact your healthcare provider if symptoms able to afford them. 
develop. 
• Keep sick individuals home until cleared by a pro-Stay connected to the City of Pasadena! Visit us onvider 
or after 5 days of appropriate antibiotics. line at CityOfPasadena.net; follow us on Twitter, Ins• 
Pre-vent contact between sick individuals and in-tagram and Facebook; or call the City Service Center 
fants or pregnant people. Monday through Friday dur-ing business hours at 
(626) 744-7311. 

CANCER SURVIVORS TO MEET LIFE-SAVING DONORS AT 
DUARTE REUNION

 Two cancer survivors are expected to meet the strangers who helped save their lives today at City of Hope's annual bone 
marrow transplant reunion. The event, held on the Duarte campus, coincides with the 50th anniversary of City of Hope's 
bone marrow transplant program, which has performed more than 20,000 transplants since 1976, according to officials.

 Among those participating are Pasadena high school senior Vaughn Wilson and Alhambra resident Lynn Leiro, both of 
whom underwent transplantsafter battling leukemia.

 Wilson, now 18, said he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in late 2022 after experiencing severe fatigue 
and back pain that cut short his active lifestyle. ``I had just done a 100-mile bike race a few months earlier,'' Wilson said 
in a statement. ``But then I couldn't finish rides I had done dozens of times before. And my back pain got so bad I could 
barely walk.''

 After chemotherapy failed to eliminate the cancer, Wilson said he was referred to City of Hope, where doctors recommended 
a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from an unrelated donor. A match was identified through an international 
registry, connecting Wilson with a donor in Germany he had never met. The donor was Johanna Seeger, 24, of 
Düsseldorf.

 ``I remember feeling so relieved knowing there was someone out there who wanted to donate. You don't know who they 
are or where they're from. You just know they chose to help a stranger,'' Wilson said. In July 2023, officials said he underwent 
intensive chemotherapy and radiation before receiving donor stem cells. ``That little bag (of stem cells) changed 
everything. It literally gave me my life back,'' Wilson said.

 Following months of recovery, officials said Wilson is now cancer-free and preparing to graduate from high school, with 
plans to attend college.

 Leiro, 40, was diagnosed with leukemia in late 2023, just weeks after completing treatment for triple-negative breast cancer. 
``Everything I knew about cancer changed overnight,'' Leiro said. ``I was told I wasn't leaving the hospital and that 
I would need a transplant.'' 

After multiple rounds of treatment failed, she underwent CAR T-cell therapy, an advanced treatment that helped bring her 
cancer into remission and made a transplant possible, officials said.

 She received a bone marrow transplant in August 2024. Leiro said her donor, Patrick Abboud, 28, of Asheville, North 
Carolina, gave her more than just a chance at survival. ``Because of my donor, I was able to see my daughter graduate 
high school and go off to college,'' she said. ``I get more time with my family, more time to make memories. I'll never be 
able to repay that gift.''

 Doctors said cases like Wilson's and Leiro's reflect decades of advances in transplant medicine. 

``Bone marrow transplant has always been about giving patients an opportunity for cure,'' said Dr. Stephen Forman of City 
of Hope. ``For some patients, it's part of their first treatment plan; for others it comes later. 

In every case the goal is the same: to match them with the right donor, support them through the procedure safely and give 
hope that the treatment results in a cure.''

 For Wilson and Leiro, the reunion marks a long-awaited moment meeting face-to-face the strangers whose decision to 
donate gave them a second chance at life. 


BURBANK CUTS RIBBON ON MAJOR SOLAR PROJECT

 Burbank Water and Power officials today marked the ribbon cutting of the city'slargest solar and battery storage system near Hollywood Burbank Airport.

 The $17 million project includes a solar system and battery storage that are 
now fully operational, marking a major step toward the city's goal of 100% zero-
carbon energy by 2040, officials said.

 ``The project has been 15 years in the making and will deliver 2 megawatts 
of zero-carbon power to our community via solar and battery storage,'' MandipSamra, general manager of Burbank Water and Power, said in a statement.

 The installation is located at the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center 
and spans about 174,000 square feet atop a parking structure, with roughly 4,260American-made solar panels capable of powering an estimated 585 homes, according 
to officials.

 The battery system stores excess solar energy generated during the day and releases 
it during peak demand periods, helping reduce energy costs and improve 
grid reliability. Construction on the project was completed in April following acompetitive bidding process that began in August 2023, with Baker Electricselected as the contractor, officials said.

 ``This project demonstrates Burbank's commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable 
future for our residents,'' Burbank Mayor Tamala Takahashi said.

 The project was developed in partnership with the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena 
Airport Authority, which operates the airport property.

 ``The Airport Authority is proud to partner with Burbank Water and Power to 
put our infrastructure to work for the community, generating clean energy right 
here in Burbank, where it benefits our residents and businesses most,'' said Frank 
Quintero, secretary of the Airport Authority. 

Samra said the project helps reduce reliance on transmission infrastructure, 
which can take years to build, while advancing the city's clean energy goals.

Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc. 


PASADENA URGES MPOX 
PRECAUTIONS AS CASES 
RISE

 The Pasadena Public Health Department is urging residents to take 
precautions against mpox and consider vaccination as cases increase in 
California.

 Health officials said vaccination remains the best protection againstsevere illness, particularly for individuals at higher risk of exposure.

 Mpox, a viral disease, is currently circulating in two strains, known as 
clade I and clade II. Clade I cases are typically linked to international travel, 
while clade II has been spreading at low levels in California since 2022, 
primarily through close physical contact.

 A recent clade I case was confirmed in San Francisco involving anunvaccinated individual with travel-related exposure, while statewide data 
show a rise in clade II infections, officials said.

 ``With summer travel and large events approaching, now is the ideal 
time to protect yourself if you or your sex partner may be at risk for mpox,''
Pasadena Health Officer Dr. Parveen Kaur said in a statement.

 Health officials said the virus spreads through close contact with infected 
individuals, including exposure to bodily fluids, skin lesions or contaminated 
materials. Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, swollen lymphnodes and a rash.

 Most cases are mild and resolve within two to four weeks, but individuals 
remain contagious until lesions have healed and new skin has formed, 
according to the department.

 The Pasadena Public Health Department and the California Department 
of Public Health are recommending that eligible individuals receive two 
doses of the Jynneos vaccine, which officials said is effective in preventinginfection and reducing the severity of illness.

 Residents are also advised to avoid close contact with people who havesymptoms, practice good hygiene and seek medical care if symptoms 
develop.

 Officials said the overall risk to the general public remains low, butthose in higher-risk groups are encouraged to take preventive measures 
and consult health care providers about vaccination options.

 CNS 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com