My husband & my self can't stop coughing & we are short of breath w/ itchy throat, is this allergy?

My husband has had this cough & shortness of breathe, & laboured breathing,worst at night for about 3 weeks, I recently started coughing & itchy throat that forces me to cough a lot.I can tell it's not a cold, even though a few day's ago I was coughing up dark colored fleem. I drain heavily in the sinus & my left ear was congested a lot. My husband really is bad off than me, he coughs all the time, he has laboured breathing at bed time, he seem's to be very congested in his chest, and short of breath also. He has high blood pressure, it went untreated for many years, it damaged his kidney's, & liver. he got treated & started being better with a change of diet & exercise. However several months ago 3-4 he got off all his med's & was fairing alright till this whatever it is came upon us. I remember that 2 people in the congration had the coughing sympthoms first, then he got it then I got it everyone seemed to get well except us and another elderly gentelman. We are trying to figure out what this is, the ederly man said his DR said he had an allergy, but gave him nothing for it, said it would ware off. Any tips or advise?