HEALTH bosses are urging parents to get their children vaccinated following a rise in whooping cough cases.
Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.
It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems.
William Roberts, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: “The data shows that there has been a steep rise in whooping cough cases since the start of the year.
“This is deeply concerning and is having tragic consequences.
“The whooping cough vaccine is a simple, safe, and extremely effective way of protecting infants from the infection.
“It is vitally important that this information is widely accessible to the public and comes from sources that people trust.
“Like all vaccines, its effectiveness is dependent on it being easily accessible and on its continued uptake.”