In the past two months, the state's communicable diseases authority has been notified of 14 outbreaks of the disease at schools around north Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Darling Downs.

Queensland Health communicable diseases branch acting executive director Heidi Carroll said the department had received 1,595 whooping cough notification, a 25 per cent increase compared with the same time in 2017.

“It’s certainly not as high as we’ve seen in the last decade, but it’s tracking upwards, which is why it’s important to ensure you and your children’s whooping cough vaccinations are up to date," Dr Carroll said.

“Whooping cough epidemics generally occur every three to four years – and we have not seen a high number of cases since the epidemic that commenced in 2008 and continued until 2012."

Earlier in December, St Mary's Parish School in Goondiwindi announced they were closing early for the school year due to an outbreak of whooping cough.

Whooping cough is particularly dangerous for infants and young children, with most  hospitalisations and deaths involving babies.

Infants who contract whooping cough can develop complications including pneumonia, fits and brain damage due to the prolonged lack of oxygen.

Dr Carroll said the best way for infants to be protected was for their mother to be vaccinated during pregnancy.

The vaccine for pregnant women is free under the National Immunisation Program and recommended in the third trimester of each pregnancy.

The childhood schedule includes whooping cough vaccines for babies at two, four, and six months of age, with booster doses for children at eighteen months, four years, and when in Year 7.

Students in Year 7 who have not received their free vaccine booster at school can still access it through their family doctor or at a vaccination clinic.

Whooping cough is a highly contangious respiratory infection that triggers severe coughing bouts characterised by the 'whoop' as air is drawn back into the lungs.

Antibiotics can be used in the early stages of the illness to prevent a more severe case developing and help stop other people being infected.

For more information call, 13 HEALTH or contact a GP.