Washington state is experiencing a spike in whooping cough cases with nearly 1,200 reported cases so far this year, that's up from 51 cases reported this time last year, according to the Washington Department of Health (DOH).

McKinley Health Center is seeing a rising number of people with pertussis, also known as whooping cough. Pertussis is caused by bacteria that live in the mouth, nose and throat. Whooping cough is highly contagious and is easily spread from person-to-person.

This year could be a decade-high for whooping cough cases in Washington state, according to numbers by the state Department of Health.

Washington state officials warned of a "sharp increase" in whooping cough cases compared to this time last year, mirroring a nationwide trend.