United States: Medical professionals across states and local jurisdictions report rapidly increasing cases of whooping cough because experts warn it may join the growing measles outbreak to infect thousands of people.
The bacterial infection spread at a rate of 1500 percent between 2021 and the present day throughout the United States.
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The Laredo Public Health Department has counted more whooping cough occurrences compared to the yearly total from 2022 within the measles-affected Texas region.
According to Dr. Richard Chamberlain, director of Laredo Public Health, told The Laredo Morning Times, “We’ve seen more cases of whooping cough this year in Laredo than in the past few years.”
“This isn’t just happening in Laredo; other places in Texas are also seeing more cases. Right now, we’re keeping a close eye on it. There’s no need to panic, but it’s important to stay informed and take simple steps to help keep everyone safe,” Chamberlain added.
Whooping cough affects mainly babies under one year of age and produces dangerous breathing pauses, which become life-threatening to infants.
Infants at Greatest Risk
A recent ProPublica article reveals that whooping cough deaths continue to escalate. Two baby deaths from whooping cough occurred in Louisiana within the previous six months, marking the first such fatalities since 2018.
Furthermore, as the Louisiana Office of the Surgeon General stated, “Many babies who get whooping cough are infected by family members or caregivers who may not even know they are carrying the bacteria,” independent.co.uk reported.
“About half of babies younger than a year old who get whooping cough will need hospital care,” he continued.
Whooping cough (pertussis) cases have skyrocketed by more than 1,500% nationwide since 2021.
— ProPublica (@propublica) April 16, 2025
Deaths tied to the disease are also up — hitting 10 last year, compared with about 2-4 in previous years — and cases are on track to exceed that total in 2025: https://t.co/YR8lc0MdUC pic.twitter.com/PKCbHWJO1T
Since 2025, the Gulf Coast state has detected 110 cases of this condition. Health authorities from the state reported 154 cases during the entire year of last year.
According to WITN and WXYZ reports, North Carolina and Michigan have documented 166 and 520 cases of whooping cough so far.