Rising Whooping Cough Cases in the US
Introduction to the Issue
Whooping cough cases are rising, and doctors are bracing for yet another tough year. There have been 8,485 cases reported in 2025, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s twice as many cases as this time last year, based on the CDC’s final tally.
Understanding the Disease
Rates of whooping cough, or pertussis, soared last year, which experts said wasn’t unexpected. The number of cases fell during COVID-19 because of masking and social distancing. Plus, experts said, the illness peaks every two to five years. Whooping cough tends to peak around this time of year and in the fall. It’s usually spread through respiratory droplets in the air, when people with pertussis cough, sneeze or breathe close to others. The symptoms are similar to a cold but the cough becomes increasingly severe with a distinctive sound — a “whoop” as the person tries to take in air. It is treated with antibiotics.
Vaccine-Preventable Illness
But experts say the outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses, like measles and whooping cough, could be indicative of changing attitudes toward vaccines. U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates fell last year, and the number of children with vaccine exemptions hit an all-time high. “There’s unfortunately been increasing anti-vaccine sentiment in the United States,” said Dr. Ericka Hayes at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Our recovery is not nearly as quick as we expected it to be and we needed it to be. And again, when you fall below 95% for vaccinations, you lose that herd immunity protection.”
Impact and Prevention
In the past six months, two babies in Louisiana and a 5-year-old in Washington state have died from whooping cough. The pertussis vaccine, which also protects against diphtheria and tetanus, is given at two months, four months and six months. The CDC recommends adults get follow-up doses every 10 years. The illness is most dangerous for infants, especially before they receive their first round of vaccinations. That’s why the vaccine is also recommended for expecting mothers — it can protect newborns. But not enough people are getting the vaccine during pregnancy, said Hayes, who is the hospital’s senior medical director of infection prevention and control. “The uptake of the vaccine for pregnant mothers is not where we need to be at all,” she said.
Regional Outbreaks
Pennsylvania, one of the states hit hardest by the illness last year, has recorded 207 whooping cough cases in 2025. Neil Ruhland, a state health department spokesman, said the biggest increases are in populated areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and in middle and high schools and colleges. He said 94.6% of the state’s kindergarteners are vaccinated. Michigan is on track for a similar pertussis season to last year’s, said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive. The state has recorded 516 cases thus far, mostly among children aged 5 to 17, and saw a total of 2,081 cases in 2024.
Challenges in Public Health
Bagdasarian said vaccination rates vary from county to county. Some schools have rates as low as 30%, creating pockets of vulnerable communities to vaccine-preventable diseases like pertussis and measles, she said. “We’re watching pertussis numbers very carefully, but a lot of our resources are going into contact tracing our measles cases right now,” she said. “And public health is doing much more with fewer resources in 2025 than we’ve had to do before.”
Conclusion
The rise in whooping cough cases across the US is a concerning trend, especially given the vaccine’s availability and effectiveness. It highlights the need for continued public health efforts to educate the public about the importance of vaccination and to address the gaps in vaccination coverage. As the country moves forward, it’s crucial to prioritize vaccine uptake and combat misinformation to protect vulnerable populations and maintain herd immunity.
FAQs
Q: What is whooping cough?
A: Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness characterized by a distinctive cough sound.
Q: How is whooping cough spread?
A: It is spread through respiratory droplets in the air when people with pertussis cough, sneeze, or breathe close to others.
Q: Can whooping cough be prevented?
A: Yes, the pertussis vaccine is effective in preventing whooping cough. It is recommended for infants, children, and adults, including pregnant women to protect newborns.
Q: Why are whooping cough cases rising?
A: The rise in cases is attributed to several factors, including changing attitudes toward vaccines, decreased vaccination rates, and the natural cycle of the disease, which peaks every two to five years.
