U.S. Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Deaths

This represents U.S. deaths from pertussis starting Jan. 20, 2025.

Background

Pertussis (whooping cough) is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The disease is characterized by severe coughing fits that can last for weeks or months, often ending with a distinctive "whooping" sound during inhalation.

Pertussis is spread through airborne droplets from coughs and sneezes. Estimates of its basic reproduction rate indicate that each infected person will infect 5 to 6 others.

Early symptoms include runny nose, mild cough, sneezing, and low-grade fever. After 1-2 weeks, the disease progresses to violent coughing fits that can cause vomiting, exhaustion, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, the coughing can cause vomiting, ruptured blood vessels in the eyes, fractured ribs, urinary incontinence, and tearing of arteries in the neck. Additional complications may include pneumonia, seizures, and brain damage.

Pertussis can affect people of all ages, but is most dangerous for infants and young children, with a fatality rate of 1-5%, depending on the level of medical care available.

The pertussis vaccine (DTaP and Tdap) is safe and effective, though immunity wanes over time, requiring booster shots. Vaccination may also prevent transmission somewhat, providing protection for vulnerable individuals in the community.

Source: Wikipedia: Whooping Cough

U.S. Pertussis Outbreaks

Since 2010, the United States has experienced periodic increases in pertussis cases, with thousands of cases reported annually. The most recent peak was 2024 with 34,000 cases. The disease had been largely controlled through vaccination programs, but vaccine hesitancy and waning immunity have contributed to resurgent outbreaks.

Source: CDC: Pertussis Surveillance and Trends

Methodology

The figure displayed counts every U.S. pertussis death reported individually in media reports, usually relaying a state health department announcement. Those reports rarely say whether the person who died was vaccinated, so the count does not depend on vaccination status. As this outbreak is being driven by infections of unvaccinated people and those with waning immunity, and given the spread of anti-vaccine misinformation by prominent public figures including RFK Jr., this page treats all reported pertussis deaths as excess deaths attributable to vaccine hesitancy.

Sources: media reports of individual deaths, each linked in the counter's data table under Explore the data.