Whooping Cough Outbreak: A Growing Concern Among Unvaccinated Teens

The United States is currently experiencing a significant surge in whooping cough cases, with over 14,000 reported cases so far this year. This marks a significant increase from last year's total of 3,475 cases. Experts attribute this spike to post-pandemic vaccine fatigue, with many teens and young adults choosing not to get vaccinated against the highly contagious respiratory infection. The bacterial illness, officially known as pertussis, is often referred to as whooping cough due to the characteristic sound people, especially babies, make when trying to get enough oxygen despite ongoing coughing fits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), preliminary cases reported so far this year are the highest since 2014.

The CDC has reported that the majority of cases are occurring among unvaccinated teens and young adults, with some areas of the country seeing massive spikes. Wisconsin, for example, has seen a 10-fold increase in cases, with 625 confirmed cases in 2024 compared to 51 in 2023. Experts warn that this is a sign that whooping cough cases are returning to pre-pandemic levels, when about 10,000 cases were reported per year nationally. Growing anti-vaccine sentiments are contributing to the outbreaks, experts say.

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