Whooping cough spreads easily, a sneeze or a cough. And it can kill.

“About one third of babies younger than 1 year old who get whooping cough need care in the hospital, and 1 out of 100 babies who get treatment in the hospital die,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People can be vaccinated against whooping cough and still get it but the vaccine can be as much as 90% effective.

Deschutes County Public Health recently identified 7 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, in the county. The individuals were not related to one another, which means it spread through some form of community contact. Seven cases is not that many. The key, though, to fighting this bacteria and other communicable diseases is about getting people vaccinated.

The vaccination rate in Deschutes County for children two years old and younger is 79%. That’s pretty good. It’s up about a percentage point year over year.

“Not a very big difference but in the immunization world an increase of .1% is significant,” said Rita Bacho of Deschutes County Public Health. “Our goal is always to stay 80% and above.”

Young children are the most vulnerable but you can help them and others by ensuring your vaccinations are up to date, as well as for your family members.