Mass. Public Health sees spike in whooping cough cases - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Mass. Public Health sees spike in whooping cough cases

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health says cases of whooping cough are up in the Bay State in 2012 from 2011.

Public health officials said they have seen more than 400 cases of Pertussis this year. Officials said they had 120 cases at this time last year.

The department of public health was urging everyone to get a vaccination for the disease.

Officials said Pertussis symptoms have three stages. In the first, the patient has a runny nose, sneezing and cough for more than a week.

In the second stage, patients have uncontrolled coughing fits that can be followed by vomiting and a whooping noise. The second stage can last from two to six weeks.

In the third stage the symptoms lessen.

Health officials said classic cases of pertussis last between six and ten weeks.