About 150 cases of whooping cough have now been reported in the Lower Mainland as health officials warn the disease is spreading west of the Fraser Valley.
The outbreak began in early December in eastern communities like Hope and Chilliwack, but Fraser Health officials say cases have now been reported in Maple Ridge, Langley, Surrey and Burnaby.
Health officials are urging adults in the affected cities to get vaccinated if they are in contact with young children.
Medical health officer Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin told CTV News that outbreaks of the disease are cyclical, and are usually seen every five-to-10 years.
"The immunity in the population builds up when there's an outbreak and everybody becomes immune to it, and then over time that immunity wanes and 10 years later an outbreak hits," she said.
Doctors' offices and many pharmacies throughout the Fraser Health region are offering free vaccinations for adults and teens who haven't had a booster in more than five years and if they regularly deal with young children. The vaccine is effective for between four and 10 years.
Officials with Vancouver Coastal Health say they have yet to record any cases of whooping cough. Vaccinations in that region are free for children, but not adults.
The disease, which is also known as pertussis, is highly contagious and is spread through the air. It can cause months of severe coughing and can be fatal in babies and young children, whose airways are smaller. More than 50 per cent of babies under the age of one who contract the disease end up hospitalized.
Symptoms of the illness can be similar to a cold in the beginning, but over time the coughing spells get longer, leading to a whooping or crowing sound when the patient breathes in. The coughing can get so bad that it leads to gagging or vomiting.
For a list of pharmacies participating in the Fraser Health immunization program, click here.
With files from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber
