JEFFERSON CO. -- Nine students in the Belleville-Henderson Central School District are recovering from pertussis, or whooping cough. They range in age from 5 to 17-years-old.

Jefferson County health officials confirm there's also a confirmed case of whooping cough in the Carthage area. Of the 10 new cases in Jefferson County, only one person was hospitalized and all are recovering.

Health officials have been meeting with school leaders to talk about the cases. The district later sent out a letter to parents informing them of the situation.

There's been a spike in whooping cough cases across the country. California is dealing with an epidemic with thousands of cases reported and many deaths blamed on the illness.

Jefferson County had 0 cases last year, 1 sporadic case in 2008 and 3 sporadic cases in 2007. Now, they've had 10 cases since October 29.

Onondaga County has seen a spike in the number of cases this year too.

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It's known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breath. A whooping sound may also accompany the cough

It can be deadly, especially in babies younger than 1-year-old. The best way to protect yourself against pertussis is to be vaccinated.

Earlier this fall, the New York State Health Commissioner started urging people to protect themselves from pertussis.

Read some fast facts about pertussis.