Health officials in northern Kentucky say they're worried about the growing number of whooping cough cases.
The Northern Kentucky Health Department issued a statement Wednesday, urging families to get infants vaccinated against the disease, also known as pertussis.
They also highly suggested booster shots for older children and adults who spend time around babies.
Officials say the disease can be severe for infants under the age of 1.
Since January, 39 cases of whooping cough have been reported in northern Kentucky. Between 2003 and 2009, there was an average of 25 cases reported per year.
Early symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and a mild cough, which turns into a persistent cough that comes in explosive bursts.
