United States: Public health authorities show deep worries about pertussis because this illness known as whooping cough actively spreads through the United States. Reports from the Associated Press show that 8,485 pertussis cases were reported in the first half of 2025 which exceeded the 2024 figures by two times, as reported by HealthDay.
Children under five maintain the greatest risk of vulnerability to whooping cough infections. Deaths occurred due to whooping cough infections which took the lives of two Louisiana infants alongside a single infected Washington state child who was 5 years old.
COVID-Era Decline Reversed as Predicted
Pertussis infection rates decreased substantially when people used face masks and maintained social distance because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Professional insights predicted this upsurge of disease years ago. Medical experts predicted another pandemic wave of the disease to start during 2024 which follows its regular two to five-year pattern.
Vaccine Hesitancy May Be Fueling the Surge
Pertussis disease spikes alongside a growing public skepticism about vaccine safety. During 2021 the United States experienced a substantial drop in kindergarten vaccination rates together with a new high in vaccine exemption requests. The hesitation toward vaccines has caused health officials to express concern about increased child vulnerability to dangerous diseases.
Infants at Highest Risk Before First Dose
Health professionals strongly advise pregnant women to get vaccinated against pertussis due to infants’ two-month requirement to wait for their first vaccine dose. Pregnant women show poor reception to prenatal vaccinations which exposes their newborns to unacceptable medical hazards.
Pennsylvania and Michigan Among Hardest-Hit States
In 2025, Pennsylvania has already confirmed 516 pertussis cases, with children aged 5 to 17 accounting for most of them. Back in 2021, the state was also one of the hardest hit. Michigan reported 2,081 cases in 2024, indicating a continued regional hotspot, as reported by HealthDay.
The U.S. CDC recommends that infants, children, pregnant women, adolescents and all unvaccinated adults should receive the pertussis vaccine. Elaborating vaccination coverage among every age segment serves both to protect our most vulnerable populations and minimize the spread of infection.