Health officials are reporting a big jump in cases of the whooping cough in the province. Doctors say this is the worst outbreak they've seen in 10 years.

There have been nearly 700 cases so far this year compared with 82 during all of last year. Officials say the hardest hit areas are the Laurentians and the Mauricie.

CJAD's medical expert Dr. Mitch Shulman says the spike is apparent in Montreal as well.

"It's really a serious illness. It's definitely out there, definitely seeing more of it, and definitely something we need to be concerned about." 

He says the best way to prevent it is to get vaccinated. The people most at risk of catching it and suffering harmful effects are children and babies.

Out of all the cases this year, 80% are children under the age of 15. Dr. Shulman recommends babies receive their whooping cough shots beginning as early as two months old.