Austin Public Health has continued to confirm cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, this fall as the Texas Department of State Health Services reports a surge in cases across the state. Texas has seen 3,500 cases through October of this year, approximately four times more cases than there were during the same period last year. Last month, APH confirmed to KUT that it was “highly likely” that whooping cough was spreading at Lamar Middle School, which has seen several cases. The health department also confirmed last week that nine other Austin ISD campuses have seen cases so far this school year: Austin Achieve Middle School, Bridge Point Elementary, Austin Achieve Elementary Northeast, Linder Elementary, Akins Early College High, Barton Creek Elementary, Marshall Middle, Langford Elementary and McCallum High. “We want to emphasize that pertussis is something everyone should be aware of in Austin and Travis County,” said William Malm, a spokesperson for Austin Public Health.