(AP) — Health officials say there have been more than 130 diagnosed cases of whooping cough in Nebraska this year.

At least 10 cases of the highly contagious disease have been reported in the Nebraska Panhandle.

Scottsbluff County officials have confirmed two cases.

Whooping cough, or pertussis (per-TUH’-sis), is spread when infected people cough or sneeze. It starts like the common cold but can progress into violent coughing spells.

Officials say the pertussis vaccine is given in the same shot with diphtheria and tetanus vaccines.