(WEAU) - The Chippewa County Public Health Department says there are 63 cases confirmed and probable cases of pertussis this year in Chippewa County.

But the department says the number of cases is slowly going down. Yet, it’s now the time kids are going back to school, where the disease can hide.

"She does have friends that I heard of that have had whooping cough that she’s been around," said Amy Bogumill, parent.

It starts as a cold and the turns into constant coughing.

But the Chippewa County Public Health Department says it works with schools to help prevent it from spreading.

"We want to promote that people are getting vaccinated. Number one making sure your small children are vaccinated with their regular childhood immunizations because those contain vaccines that contain pertussis as well," said Debbie Odden, Assistant Director Public of Health Department.

While cases are going down, parents are concerned about their kids going back to school again.

"When we go back to school all the kids are going to be back together again, so do you think it’s going to get worse I don't know," said parent, Michelle Bassett-Shea.

"I'll be look into it, and see if my kids need to be vaccinated because I definitely want to keep them up to date on vaccines," said parent, Michelle Yorkbogard.

"As a preventive measure, if someone in your household does have confirmed pertussis, they will also routinely recommend that the other household would actually take the antibiotic too," said Odden.

"Hopefully she doesn't get it. She's been immunized so I'm hoping that will help her," said Bogumill.

But the health department is working with local schools using a surveillance program that monitors diseases in the schools.

"They report on a weekly basis to us if their seeing increases in different symptoms and that could be for any kind of disease," said Odden.

The health department recommends that you stay up to date on your vaccines and if you're sick to check with your doctor to see if you need to be tested.

Also there are changes made to the Wisconsin Student Immunization Law, which can found by clicking below.

http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/P0/p00039.pdf

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin has the nation's highest rate of whooping cough cases, as the U.S. appears headed for its worst year for the disease in more than five decades.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says through July 5, the disease occurred in nearly 51 of 100,000 people in Wisconsin. That's nearly 10 times the national average. Washington had the second highest rate, with about 39 cases per 100,000 residents.

Washington has declared an epidemic. Wisconsin has not.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness. For adults, it may seem like a bad cold. But, for infants it can potentially be deadly.

The State Journal reports one infant with pertussis died in February in Wisconsin.