CDC Warns Whooping Cough Cases Remain Elevated, Infant Death Reported
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says pertussis cases in 2025 are higher than they were before the pandemic, and federal data show tens of thousands of infections nationwide. A recent unvaccinated infant death in Kentucky and multiple state health alerts underscore the urgency of maternal vaccination and timely childhood DTaP and adult Tdap boosters ahead of winter gatherings.
Federal health officials and state public health departments are sounding alarms after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disclosed that pertussis infections remain elevated this year compared with pre pandemic levels. The issue was highlighted in a PBS News Weekend segment aired November 29, 2025 that reported tens of thousands of cases nationally in 2025 and described a recent unvaccinated infant death in Kentucky amid local spikes that prompted state notices.
Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can be severe, and sometimes fatal, in young infants who have not yet completed the vaccine series. Public health experts in the PBS segment attributed much of the resurgence to declining vaccination coverage among children since the pandemic, leaving larger numbers of people susceptible and enabling transmission to vulnerable infants and others at high risk.
State health departments around the country have issued alerts documenting localized increases in cases. Those notices have urged pregnant people to receive Tdap vaccination during each pregnancy in order to transfer protective antibodies to newborns, and they have emphasized starting the childhood DTaP series on schedule and staying up to date with recommended booster doses. Federal guidance released ahead of the winter season and holiday gatherings has reinforced those priorities, warning that indoor gatherings could accelerate spread.
The CDC data cited by PBS indicate that the burden of disease in 2025 is substantially above typical levels seen before the COVID 19 pandemic disrupted routine immunization programs. While exact national counts vary by reporting lag, the description of "tens of thousands" of cases points to a significant uptick with broad public health implications. Experts caution that when vaccination coverage falls, pockets of susceptibility form and outbreaks become more likely, particularly in communities where access to routine pediatric care has been disrupted or where vaccine hesitancy has grown.
Infants under two months of age are at especially high risk because they are too young to receive the full DTaP series, which starts at two months. Maternal Tdap during pregnancy is the principal strategy to protect those infants until they can be vaccinated, followed by timely DTaP doses at two, four, six, and 15 through 18 months, and a booster at four through six years of age. Tdap boosters for adolescents and adults help reduce transmission in the community and protect those who cannot be fully immunized.
Public health officials are urging clinicians to verify immunization records, offer recommended vaccines during prenatal visits and well child visits, and educate families about the signs of pertussis, which can escalate quickly in infants. With the holiday season and colder weather bringing more indoor contact, the warnings from federal and state authorities underscore a simple public health imperative. Strengthening vaccination coverage now is the clearest path to protecting infants and curbing the current surge in whooping cough.
