A doctor said he’s bothered by whooping cough spreading in Saskatchewan, since there’s a free vaccine to prevent it.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection and in some instances it can be fatal.

“Any new case — it bothers me,” said Dr. Simon Kapaj, a deputy medical health officer for the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

“It is vaccine-preventable infection. Which means, we have the vaccine, the vaccine is free, and we are able to provide that shot. So from that, I think we shouldn't see whooping cough cases at all.”

In about seven weeks, there have been 25 reported cases of whooping cough in the Rosthern area, according to the health authority. Nearly all of those cases involve children.

Kapaj said he worries about the infection spreading south to Saskatoon with holiday travel around the corner.

The Saskatoon doctor said the best way to avoid whooping cough is to get the vaccine.