Kentucky Records Third Unvaccinated Infant Death as Pertussis Surge Continues
Kentucky health officials confirmed a third infant death from pertussis this year, with state data showing the largest outbreak since 2012. The fatalities and rising case counts underscore growing gaps in vaccination coverage and renew calls for maternal and infant immunization to prevent severe illness.
Local reporting compiled by KFF on November 25 and 26, 2025 noted that Kentucky health officials confirmed a third infant death from pertussis this year. State authorities said that neither the three infants nor their mothers had received pertussis vaccination. Kentucky has recorded 566 confirmed pertussis cases in 2025, a tally state officials described as the highest outbreak level since 2012.
Public health experts view infants as the most vulnerable to severe outcomes from pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. The disease can cause life threatening respiratory distress in very young children who are too young to have completed the routine vaccine series. National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data cited in the KFF briefing show a multi year uptick in pertussis cases, and falling vaccination coverage has been identified as a contributing factor.
Surveillance systems for pertussis rely on clinicians recognizing symptoms, laboratory confirmation and reporting to state health departments. The recent spike in Kentucky has placed renewed attention on preventive strategies that protect newborns, particularly vaccination of pregnant people during the third trimester to transfer protective antibodies and timely vaccination of infants according to the standard schedule.
The deaths in Kentucky arrive amid a broader national public health challenge. After near elimination in the 20th century thanks to widespread immunization, pertussis has been resurging in multiple states in recent years. Experts point to a combination of factors including incomplete vaccine uptake, gaps in routine care access, and waning immunity over time. The decline in vaccine acceptance in parts of the country has left communities more susceptible to outbreaks.
The human consequences are stark. Infant fatalities highlight the narrow window of vulnerability before a baby can build their own vaccine mediated immunity. When mothers are not immunized during pregnancy, infants rely on community level protection that erodes as vaccination rates fall. Public health authorities are urging pregnant people and caregivers to ensure vaccinations are up to date to reduce risk for newborns.
Officials in Kentucky and elsewhere are also confronting logistical and social hurdles. Reaching under served populations, addressing misinformation about vaccine safety, and maintaining clinician awareness of pertussis diagnosis and reporting are central to outbreak control. Health systems typically respond by increasing public messaging, offering targeted vaccination clinics, and ensuring laboratories and hospitals prioritize rapid testing and treatment for suspected cases.
The resurgence of pertussis in Kentucky serves as a reminder that vaccine preventable diseases can return when immunization gaps widen. Preventing further infant deaths will depend on coordinated efforts to boost maternal and infant vaccination rates, strengthen surveillance and outreach, and tackle the structural barriers that leave some families without timely access to recommended care.
