Houston is currently in the grips of a massive syphilis outbreak. Cases of the disease for women increased to the tune of 128% across Houston and Harris County, the Houston Health Department (HHD) wrote in a Thursday press release.

Congenital syphilis cases also experienced a dramatic increase, the HHD wrote in the release.

“It is crucial for pregnant women to seek prenatal care and syphilis testing to protect themselves from an infection,” HHD official Marlene McNeese Ward said in the release.

Ward emphasized the potential fatal nature of the disease for babies before saying any “pregnant woman needs to get tested for syphilis three times during her pregnancy.”