A surge in whooping cough cases in Oregon has prompted state and local health officials to urge residents to get vaccinated.

Oregon health officials are alarmed over the state's rising pertussis case count, which is expected to beat the state's record, Oregon Health Authority announced Thursday.

Nearly half of this year's cases were among people who had never received a dose of whooping cough vaccines, Oregon officials said.

Oregon is expected to beat the state’s record for whooping cough, also known as pertussis, cases by the end of the year, as Clark County recently reported the highest number of cases among all Washington state counties.

Also known as pertussis, the disease poses a particular threat to young babies, and five infants have died from it since 2003. At the rate things are going, cases in the state will set a new record for Oregon this year. The median age for those catching it is 11 and the youngest has been five weeks old, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

Economists widely forecast that tariffs of this magnitude would increase prices paid by U.S. shoppers, since importers typically pass along a share of the cost of those higher taxes to consumers. A student at the University of Alabama has been turning heads following her work in a heavily-publicized boxing match between heavyweight Mike Tyson and YouTuber Jake Paul.

The school system was made aware of those cases last week and immediately notified parents and staff via email.