Due to a whooping cough outbreak, health officials in northern Kentucky have urged people to get shots against the disease. The Northern Kentucky Health Department said that since November 1, the region has encountered 31 cases of whooping cough. They said that in comparison, 7 cases were reported in November and December previous year.

Director of Health Lynne M. Saddler said that the best way to stop the disease from spreading is proper vaccination. The health department said that young children must get vaccinated and older children and adults should ensure that they are updated on their vaccines.

Runny nose, fever, sneezing and a mild cough are the early symptoms of whooping cough. Coughing fits can be the later symptoms and they ends with a high-pitched whoop and vomiting.

While urging parents to get children inoculated against pertussis, public health officials said on Monday that whooping cough cases in Northern Kentucky have over quadrupled in 2015 over past year.

The public information manager of the Northern Kentucky Public Health Department, Emily Gresham Wherle, said that since November 1, about 31 whooping cough cases have been reported. In the last week of November only, 13 cases have been reported. Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties have come up with reports of the cases.

Most number of reported cases belonged to school age youth age 10 and older, though a number of cases have been reported among parents of school-aged children also.