Earlier this year, a student at Easton's March Elementary School was diagnosed with whooping cough.

But that case in Easton appears to have been one of many. According to a report by WFMZ, local health officials say the number of whooping cough cases in the Lehigh Valley region is higher than it's been in years. 

"For every confirmed case, we probably have boatload more that haven't been detected yet," the Allentown Health Bureau's Vicky Kistler told the TV station.

Whooping cough is a contagious bacterial infection that can be particularly serious for babies.

The illness was also reported in the Salisbury School District and also in Saucon Valley School District in the past year.

To deal with whooping cough, the state Department of Health offers these tips:

• All Pennsylvanians should get vaccinated and protect themselves. 
• The typical childhood vaccine immunization series is at 4, 6, 15-18 months and a booster at 4-6 years old.

The adolescent-adult Tdap vaccines are recommended for:

• Individuals 10 to 64 years of age who are not fully immunized
• Women of childbearing age, before or immediately after pregnancy
• People who have contact with pregnant women or infants too young to have received a full series of vaccinations
• All family members and caregivers of infants.