Current status of US Pertussis (Whooping Cough) outbreaks
Preliminary data show that fewer cases of pertussis have been reported in 2026 compared to the same time in 2025. Pertussis periodically has peaks in reported cases, with the last peak occurring in November 2024. (Source: CDC).
Whooping cough (pertussis) cases have surged to multi-year highs across the United States. While early 2026 data shows weekly reporting has slowed slightly compared to peak intervals, overall transmission levels remain significantly elevated above pre-pandemic baselines. The surge represents a severe multi-year spike, with the U.S. logging roughly 35,400 cases in 2024 and nearly 28,000 cases in 2025.
Recent health data shows widespread, non-regional outbreaks across the country:
—West Coast: The most intense hot spots continue to impact states like Washington, Oregon, and California, with Washington eclipsing over 2,000 cases in recent reporting cycles.
— South and Southwest: States like Texas, Louisiana, and Arizona are tracking multi-year or decade-high spikes. By late 2025, Texas surpassed 3,500 total cases.
— Midwest & Mountain West: Heavy case volumes have been documented in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado.
Epidemiologists from institutions like the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the CDC attribute the current resurgence to three factors:
—Declining Immunization Rates: A rise in vaccine hesitancy and nonmedical exemptions has lowered community protection levels below safe containment thresholds. This is the Primary Driving Factor.
—Immunity Gaps: Pandemic-era isolation reduced natural exposure to the bacteria, creating a large, highly susceptible population once masking and social distancing ended.
—Waning Vaccine Effects: The current acellular vaccines (DTaP and Tdap) provide excellent short-term protection against severe disease, but immunity naturally fades after a few years.
Whooping cough (pertussis) cases have surged to multi-year highs across the United States. While early 2026 data shows weekly reporting has slowed slightly compared to peak intervals, overall transmission levels remain significantly elevated above pre-pandemic baselines. The surge represents a severe multi-year spike, with the U.S. logging roughly 35,400 cases in 2024 and nearly 28,000 cases in 2025.
Recent health data shows widespread, non-regional outbreaks across the country:
—West Coast: The most intense hot spots continue to impact states like Washington, Oregon, and California, with Washington eclipsing over 2,000 cases in recent reporting cycles.
— South and Southwest: States like Texas, Louisiana, and Arizona are tracking multi-year or decade-high spikes. By late 2025, Texas surpassed 3,500 total cases.
— Midwest & Mountain West: Heavy case volumes have been documented in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado.
Epidemiologists from institutions like the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the CDC attribute the current resurgence to three factors:
—Declining Immunization Rates: A rise in vaccine hesitancy and nonmedical exemptions has lowered community protection levels below safe containment thresholds. This is the Primary Driving Factor.
—Immunity Gaps: Pandemic-era isolation reduced natural exposure to the bacteria, creating a large, highly susceptible population once masking and social distancing ended.
—Waning Vaccine Effects: The current acellular vaccines (DTaP and Tdap) provide excellent short-term protection against severe disease, but immunity naturally fades after a few years.
