MERRILL, Wis. (WSAU) - U.S. health officials are warning about a whooping cough epidemic.

The CDC is tracking 18-thousand cases of the disease across the country and say 9 infants have died of the disease this year. Both Lincoln and Marathon Counties are reporting cases of the disease in the area. Lincoln County health officer Shelly Hersil says the signs of pertussis can look a lot like a cold. “If you have a cold that extends out into long bouts of coughing, you're going to want to get checked.”

Lincoln County has been seeing more mild cases of pertussis, but other places in the state are having larger reactions. Hersil says most of the transmissions are coming from daycare centers or camps where children can share the disease. She says the department is trying to limit exposure to prevent the illness from getting to sensitive patients. “That's infants who can't get vaccinated yet and the elderly.”

If you are seeing or have a potential case of whooping cough, contact your doctor.