Whooping cough is on the increase in Tasmania.
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About 170 cases of whooping cough have been reported in under three months around the state.
There have been 239 cases this year to date.
In 2017 there were only 40 cases reported.
Public Health Services is urging pregnant women to get vaccinated because whooping cough can be life-threatening in babies under six months.
Immunisation helps protect the newborn baby before they are old enough for their first dose of vaccine at six weeks.
The vaccine is free to all pregnant women in the last trimester of each pregnancy under the National Immunisation Program.
Schools are reporting student and staff illness with children aged under 14 years most affected, particularly those from five to nine years old.
The last statewide outbreak in Tasmania was in 2012 with more than 1200 notified cases.
Whooping cough usually starts with common cold symptoms such as a runny nose and cough, but severe coughing that can cause vomiting, fainting and difficulty breathing follow.
Symptoms may be milder in those recently vaccinated against whooping cough.
People of any age can catch and spread whooping cough, but young babies are most at risk if they catch it.
Family and friends should be up-to-date with their immunisation.
Whooping cough vaccine is provided free of charge under the National Immunisation Program for infants aged two, four, and six months.
The first dose can be given at six weeks with booster doses at 18 months, four years and grade 7 at school.
The Council of Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity supports whooping cough vaccination recommendations for pregnant women and children.