WATERTOWN, NY -- Jefferson County Public Health is fighting a spike in pertussis, or whooping cough.  Numbers released Wednesday morning show there have been 229 reported cases so far in the county.

The county held a vaccination clinic Wednesday.  They say 300-400 people showed up to receive the shot. 

"I have a brand new baby at home, who's five weeks old, and I just really don't want him to get sick," says Jody Yerdon, who showed up to get vaccinated.

Angela Matthews works in a daycare center.

"(Whooping cough) makes you a little nervous, and you hate to be the person who would be responsible for spreading something like that," says Matthews.

Whooping cough starts with cold-like symptoms and episodes of severe coughing.  Complications may include pneumonia, middle ear infection, loss of appetite, dehydration, and seizures.

Supervising Public Health Nurse Donna Grant says it's important for all adults to consider getting vaccinated.

"It's usually the adult who has the disease that doesn't have any symptoms that's actually passing it on to the child," says Grant.

The county has received a state grant, so it can provide the vaccinations for free.  It will continue to give out the pertussis vaccinations during its clinics Wednesdays 12:30-3:30 as long as it can continue to fund them.