Overview

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 8,485 whooping cough cases in 2025, double the count from the same period last year.
• Recent fatalities include two infants in Louisiana and a 5-year-old in Washington state, underscoring the disease's risks for young children.
• Vaccination rates for kindergarteners have fallen below 95%, with some schools reporting coverage as low as 30%, compromising herd immunity.
• Experts attribute the rise in cases to declining vaccine uptake, increasing anti-vaccine sentiment, and the natural cyclical peaks of the disease.
• Health officials emphasize the importance of maternal vaccination during pregnancy to protect newborns, as infants remain highly vulnerable before completing their vaccine series.