Amid the Ongoing Measles Outbreak, Cases of Whooping Cough Are on the Rise

Cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, are on the rise alongside the ongoing measles outbreak as vaccination rates decline in children. Over 6 times as many cases were reported in 2024 as in 2023, according to data from the CDC, amounting to a total of 35,435 infections, including 10 fatalities—more than there were in 2019 prior to the pandemic.¹

Hand holding DTaP vaccine vial and syringe | Image Credit: © Leigh Prather - stock.adobe.com

“National rates for 4 major vaccines, which had held relatively steady in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, have fallen significantly since, according to a ProPublica analysis of the most recent federal kindergarten vaccination data,” wrote the authors of a report by ProPublica. “Not only have vaccination rates for measles, mumps, and rubella fallen, but federal data shows that so have those for pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, and polio.”¹

Pertussis is a contagious bacterial infection known widely as whooping cough due to the high-pitched “whoop” sound that occurs when breathing in after coughing. The illness primarily affects infants, although it is also reported to affect teenagers and adults whose protection from vaccination has faded.²

In infants, the symptoms and health complications associated with pertussis are more serious and can include the development of pneumonia, ear infections, breathing complications, dehydration and weight loss, seizures, or potentially brain damage. According to the CDC, a third of infants under the age of 1 who contract whooping cough require hospitalization. Although rare, pertussis-associated deaths are seen primarily in infants and children.^2,3

Pertussis rates prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were at around 10,000 cases each year but have seen a 1500% increase since 2021. The most alarming rise was between 2023 and 2024, when there was a significant jump from 7063 to 35,435 cases.⁴

“It's the highest number in more than a decade,” Andrea Garcia, MD, vice president of Science, Medicine, and Public Health at the American Medical Association, told Independent. “In the few years prior to the pandemic, for example, we were seeing roughly between 15,000 and 19,000 cases. So, like in Louisiana, this rise in cases nationwide is something to keep an eye on and to be concerned about.”⁴

Health experts attribute the rise in pertussis and other infectious diseases to the continued decline in vaccinations, which has raised concerns about the severity and frequency of future infectious disease outbreaks. This is already being illustrated by the measles outbreak, which has a reported 800 cases in the United States and additional cases beyond borders in Mexico and Canada. However, due to underreporting, these counts are potentially a gross understatement of the actual number of cases. Although the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles infections—so much so that the illness was nearly eradicated in 2000—growing hesitancy and lack of trust in medicine exacerbate the issue of declining vaccination rates.⁵

The pertussis vaccine—known as DTaP—covers 3 illnesses, including diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. It is the most effective way to protect against these infectious diseases. The vaccine is comprised of 5 shots administered over a span of 6 years followed by booster shots—typically Tdap—in pre-teens and adults. In children, the shots are typically given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years. Adverse effects are generally mild and primarily include fever, crankiness, headache, fatigue, or soreness at the injection site.²

Although medical advancement has allowed health care professionals to more effectively treat these infectious diseases when they occur, they continue to pose significant dangers to the public as herd immunity diminishes. Health experts continue to stress the safety, efficacy, and necessity of vaccination, the cornerstone of protecting public health and society’s most vulnerable populations.

REFERENCES

1.“Notjust measles”: whooping cough cases are soaring as vaccine rates decline. ProPublica. April 11, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. https://www.propublica.org/article/whooping-cough-measles-outbreak-vaccine-hesitancy-trump

2. Whooping cough. Mayo Clinic. March 15, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/whooping-cough/symptoms-causes/syc-20378973#prevention

3. Whooping cough cases on the rise with measles: Symptoms, what to know. USA Today. April 16, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/04/16/whooping-cough-pertussis-symptoms-vaccines/83100298007/

4. Whooping cough cases soar by 1500% leaving two dead and health experts concerned it could be next outbreak. Independent. April 15, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/whooping-cough-symptoms-death-cases-measles-b2733642.html

5. Measles cases climb to 800 in United States as outbreak spreads across borders. Pharmacy Times. April 18, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/measles-cases-climb-to-800-in-united-states-as-outbreak-spreads-across-borders