(COLDWATER) - The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency reminds residents to know their own and their children’s vaccination status against Whooping Cough or pertussis.

The CHA is monitoring for additional cases of pertussis, after a case was recently identified in St. Joseph County, and others have been identified in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

Children usually receive a series of the pertussis vaccine (DTaP) in early infancy and another dose before starting school (Tdap). With school and college starting soon, now is a good time to reduce the spread of illness by updating your children’s vaccinations. Adolescents and adults also need to get a booster dose to help protect them as they get older.

Early in the illness, pertussis may seem like a common cold. It can cause sneezing, runny nose, mild dry cough, and low-grade fever. After 1 to 2 weeks, more serious coughing spells that can last for more than a minute, may develop and can result in difficulty breathing. At the end of the coughing spell the person may make a high-pitched “whooping” sound as they try to catch their breath.

The later stage may cause gagging or vomiting, and tends to be worse at night. The cough from pertussis can last 6 weeks or longer. This disease is very contagious and is spread by respiratory droplets from coughing. People with pertussis can transmit the germ for four weeks after becoming ill.

Heidi Hazel, Director of Personal Health and Disease Prevention for the CHA, urges anyone with pertussis symptoms to see their medical provider right away to get tested. Anyone who wants to check on their immunization history can check online. Click Here. You can also contact your local health department office to check their history and schedule an appointment if vaccines are due.

Anyone with pertussis should stay home until five days of antibiotic treatment has been completed. People that live with someone with pertussis should talk to their doctor about receiving a course of antibiotics to prevent the spread of the infection.