Video: Everything You Need to Know About Whooping Cough

This week a third Hudson Valley school district confirmed a case of pertussis, or whooping cough. This highly contagious disease can be fatal. Vassar Brothers Medical Center Pharmacist Kelcey Noble tells us everything we need to know about this deadly disease.

On Tuesday, Wappingers Central School District confirmed a case of whooping cough at Roy C. Ketcham High School. Over the past few weeks other cases have been reported at Goshen Central School District and Liberty High School.

This highly contagious disease usually begins with the same symptoms of the common cold. A patients cough typically becomes worse over a week or two, with coughing fits producing a "whooping" sound.

Babies and young children have the greatest chances of dying from whooping cough. The best way to protect yourself is to be vaccinated.

In the below video, Kelcey Noble tells Hudson Valley Post everything we need to know about this potentially deadly disease.