Whooping Cough Cases Highest in 5 Years

Reports of pertussis cases, also known as whooping cough, were lower than usual during the past few years—during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the United States is beginning to return to pre-pandemic patterns where more than 10,000 cases are typically reported each year.

Last year though, preliminary CDC data show that more than six times as many cases have been reported as of week 50 reported on Dec. 14, 2024, compared to the same time in 2023. The number of reported cases in 2024 was higher than what was seen at the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic. As of week 52 reported on Dec. 28, 2024, 35,493 cases had been reported to the CDC compared to 7,099 in 2023.

The bacteria that cause whooping cough spread easily from person to person through the air. Last year, Pennsylvania, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, Washington, California, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, Oregon, and Idaho were the states with the most whooping cough cases reported, according to preliminary CDC data.

More than 2,000 cases of whooping cough alone were reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) between January and October 2024. Among those cases, 62 involved infants less than four months of age who were hospitalized, including one infant who died. During the same time range in 2023, less than 400 whooping cough cases were reported in the state. 

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, many practices that had lowered instances of whooping cough are no longer in place, and we’re seeing the disease return to pre-pandemic levels,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH director and state public health officer. “Infants are particularly vulnerable and that’s why CDPH especially encourages people who are pregnant to receive the Tdap [tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis] vaccine in their third trimester which will pass along protective antibodies to the baby.” 

Tdap is approximately 90% effective in preventing infant hospitalizations due to whooping cough. It is also beneficial for all family members and caregivers of newborns to receive either the Tdap (for adults and children older than seven) or DTaP (for those seven years of age or younger) vaccines to prevent spreading whooping cough to infants.