Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that cases of whooping cough have increased across the United States compared to last year.

There have been 14,569 confirmed cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, so far in 2024, according to CDC data as of Sept. 20.

Last year, 3,475 whooping cases were reported, the agency stated.

The CDC has noted separately that cases of pertussis have increased so far in 2024.

“Preliminary data show that more than four times as many cases have been reported as of week 33, reported on August 17, 2024, compared to the same time in 2023,” the CDC said in an August statement about the rise in cases. “The number of reported cases this year is higher than what was seen at the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic.”

The World Health Organization’s Americas division on July 24 also sent out an alert for a rise in pertussis cases globally and in some countries in North and South America. Notably, in Europe, there has been an increase in cases during the second half of last year and during the first six months of this year, according to the WHO.

Warnings Issued

Health officials say that whooping cough, considered highly contagious, is particularly dangerous for younger children, especially infants. The bacteria affects the respiratory system and can cause coughing fits that can last for weeks, officials say.

The Alaska Department of Health recently issued a statement on its website about the increase in whooping cough, which is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria, over the summer, noting that 61 cases were reported in August and 90 in July. There were also 25 cases reported in June and a total of 26 cases reported in all of 2023, it noted.

At the same time, the Florida Department of Health confirmed that there has been an increase in pertussis in July.

“The number of pertussis cases reported in July 2024 increased from the previous month, and was above the previous 5-year average,” the department stated.

In July, the last month in which data is available, 66 cases of whooping cough were reported across Florida, according to the health department.

“In 2024, 266 pertussis cases were reported. These case counts are trending towards levels reported pre-pandemic in 2019. Mitigation efforts used during the pandemic likely lowered transmission of pertussis,” the Florida Department of Health stated on its website.

College Football Game Canceled

Last week, a case of whooping cough resulted in the cancellation of a college football game between South Dakota and Portland State on Sept. 14, officials said.

“A case of pertussis (whooping cough) got into the Viking team two days ago,” Portland State said in a statement announcing the game’s cancelation. “Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that affects the lungs. As a result, many team members have been exposed to the disease.”

It was unclear if a Portland State player or other staff member had pertussis, while the team stated that no players on the Portland State team are “seriously ill at this time.”

Symptoms

According to the CDC, pertussis can start off like the common cold, but its cough can last for several months.

“Those who get these coughing fits say it’s the worst cough of their lives,” the CDC stated on its website, noting that the coughing can cause people to vomit.

Other than coughing, it can cause a low-grade fever, difficulty sleeping, breathing problems, and even rib fractures, according to the agency. In a recent statement, the U.N. Children’s Fund stated that whooping cough is considered highly contagious and usually is spread via coughing or sneezing.

Symptoms also generally appear between a week and 10 days after infection, it noted.

The illness was considered common in the 19th and early 20th century, although officials say that it has been controlled by childhood vaccination.

Can Occur in Vaccinated People

The CDC has stated that childhood vaccines are the best way to prevent pertussis, but it noted that pertussis cases could increase “both in unvaccinated and vaccinated populations” when “typical infection patterns return.”

Pertussis also can occur in vaccinated people because “protection from vaccination fades over time,” the agency stated.

The agency recommends the DTaP vaccine, which it says covers diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis infections. The shot is routinely given as a childhood vaccine, along with shots for measles, mumps, and rubella; polio; and sometimes hepatitis B.