Rising Cases and Vaccine Concerns
Preliminary CDC data reports 8,485 whooping cough cases in 2025, doubling the count from the previous year, amid declining U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates and increasing vaccine exemptions.
Experts link the uptick in whooping cough and other vaccine-preventable diseases to growing anti-vaccine sentiment and inadequate vaccination during pregnancy, impacting herd immunity.
State-by-State Impact and Responses
Pennsylvania and Michigan report significant whooping cough cases, with the disease spreading more in populated areas and among school-aged children, highlighting regional disparities in vaccination rates.
Health officials emphasize the importance of vaccination, particularly for expecting mothers, to protect infants, who are most at risk, as the country faces a potentially record-high number of whooping cough cases.