South Australia has recorded a dramatic rise in whooping cough and mumps cases, and the government is urging parents to vaccinate their children before school starts.
More than 1250 people developed whooping cough last year, almost 40 per cent more than in 2014, Health Minister Jack Snelling says.
The number of mumps cases has also increased by more than 35 per cent, 39 cases recorded in 2015 compared to 14 the previous year.
"These diseases are highly infectious, very difficult to treat and can have severe complications, particularly in children, but they are vaccine preventable," Mr Snelling said on Friday.
