Overview
- Texas has recorded more than 3,500 pertussis cases through October 2025, about four times last year’s count, prompting a state health alert for the second consecutive year.
- Preliminary Texas data indicate roughly 85% of cases are in children, and local reports have linked at least two infant deaths to the current outbreak.
- The Waco–McLennan County health district reports 67 cases so far in 2025, five times last year’s total, with pediatric clinics noting a higher weekly caseload.
- Mississippi has reported 130 cases this year and West Virginia 126, the state’s largest increase since 2010, while Florida and Louisiana have also reported higher activity.
- Health guidance stresses PCR testing for suspected cases, early antibiotics or post‑exposure prophylaxis, and staying current on DTaP/Tdap, including Tdap during each pregnancy to protect newborns.