A quarter of the way through 2025, the US has seen more than twice the number of whooping cough infections than at the same point last year. This viral resurgence follows upward trend in whooping cough cases since the early 2000s. Declining vaccination rates have helped to fuel the virus’s comeback. Another key factor is the vaccine’s manufacturer’s formula change to reduce side effects made the vaccine less effective. As a result, booster shots are recommended every 10 years. So far in 2025, at least 8,064 whooping cough cases have been reported. At the same point in 2024, the US reported 3,835 cases.
Experts predict that if the US stays in this trajectory, the country will be on track for it worst year for whooping cough since 1948, when the whooping cough vaccine was introduced.
