The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has warned healthcare professionals and the public about the symptoms and dangers of whooping cough as the number of cases this year has soared.

More than 1,780 cases were reported in England and Wales up to the end of May, compared with a total of 1,118 cases for the whole of 2011. The rise had been seen across "all regions in England" with some areas reporting clusters in schools and healthcare settings, the HPA said. The surge has also affected infants under three months old, with 138 cases reported, including five deaths.

More than 1,780 cases of whooping cough were reported in England and Wales up to the end of May, compared with 1,118 cases for the whole of 2011

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HPA head of immunisation Mary Ramsay said the organisation was "very concerned" by the figures and was "working closely with health professionals and the public to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms" of whooping cough. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is spread easily through close contact. It is a cyclical disease and the number of cases rises every three to four years. The last recorded ‘peak' year was 2008, when the number of cases was significantly lower than in 2012, only reaching 322 by the end of May compared with 1,781 at the same time this year.

Dr Ramsay advised parents to ensure their children were up to date with their vaccinations. "The pre-school booster is important, not only to boost protection in that child, but also to reduce the risk of them passing the infection on to vulnerable babies," she said. After infection, whooping cough can be treated with a course of antibiotics, but young people may need hospital care "due to the risk of severe complications".

Jignesh Patel of Rohpharm Pharmacy, Plaistow, London, said that patients often thought of whooping cough as "part of the past" and he called for "up-to-date training" to help pharmacists recognise the symptoms.

"At the moment we're doing a lot of training on lung cancer, so I think we need to be doing the same with whooping cough," he said.