Whooping Cough Is on the Rise: How to Spot it and Stop it
Whooping Cough Is on the Rise: How to Spot it and Stop it
Cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, are on the rise in the United States. While vaccines have kept this illness under control for decades, recent trends show a resurgence. In Utah, cases have jumped from 132 in 2022 to over 300 in 2025. Nationally, numbers have skyrocketed from 7,000 in 2023 to more than 35,000 in 2024. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine hesitancy has grown—and with it, cases of preventable diseases like pertussis have increased.
Recognizing the Symptoms and Stages
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. The bacteria make it hard to clear out mucus and saliva.
Symptoms of whopping cough usually occur in three stages:
- Catarrhal. Symptoms of a mild cold appear, such as a clear runny nose, dry cough, and usually no fever.
- Paroxysmal. After one to two weeks, the cough worsens into severe fits, sometimes causing vomiting or a distinctive “whoop” sound when catching breath. The cough can last two to eight weeks.
- Convalescent. Cough becomes less severe but still frequent and can linger for several weeks to months.
People can be contagious for weeks. Whooping cough is most contagious during the first weeks of illness.
“In those first couple weeks, it might seem like a cold where you don’t have a lot of congestion,” says Elizabeth R. Smith, MD, a pediatrician at University of Utah Health. “It usually isn’t the pattern that we often see with viruses.”
Whooping cough only affects humans and spreads through respiratory droplets—coughing, sneezing, or even touching contaminated surfaces.
“It often seems just like a cough, and you wait it out,” Smith says. “Unfortunately, if it’s pertussis, you’re spreading those respiratory droplets, which can infect people who are unvaccinated.”
Seek care if:
- You have a worsening dry cough without fever after a week.
- You’ve been exposed to whooping cough and haven’t started antibiotics.
Vaccination and Why It Matters
The best way to protect yourself from whooping cough is through vaccination.
How Effective Is the Vaccine?
The pertussis vaccine is combined with diphtheria and tetanus (DTaP for kids, Tdap for teens and adults). Backed by decades of monitoring through national reporting systems, the vaccine is 80-90% effective and significantly reduces severity and complications. Vaccinated individuals who do get pertussis usually experience milder symptoms.
Is It Safe?
The vaccine has an excellent safety record. Common side effects include:
- Soreness
- Redness or swelling at the injection site
- Low-grade fever
Serious reactions—such as seizures related to fever—are extremely rare. Overall, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks, especially for protecting infants and reducing severe complications.
Recommended vaccine schedule:
- Infants and children: DTaP at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12–15 months, plus a booster before kindergarten.
- Adolescents: Tdap at 11–12 years.
- Adults: Tdap every 10 years.
- Pregnant people: Tdap during each pregnancy.
Why Pregnant People Should Get Vaccinated
Pregnant people should receive the Tdap vaccine to help protect their newborns, who are at the highest risk for severe illness and death.
“Mothers who get the Tdap vaccine pass antibodies through the placenta to the baby,” Smith says. “The baby then gets protection that way.”
Who Is Most at Risk?
The greatest danger is to infants under six months, especially those younger than four months who aren’t able to complete their vaccine series yet. These babies may need hospitalization because severe pertussis can cause breathing pauses, seizures, pneumonia, and, tragically, death. The mortality rate for infants under six months is about 1%—one in 100.
Treatment and Prevention
To determine a whooping cough diagnosis, your doctor will take a nose and throat swab to test for Bordetella pertussis bacteria.
If your test is positive, antibiotics are essential for treatment because it’s a bacterial infection.
Antibiotics should be taken immediately, regardless of vaccination status. Close contacts often receive antibiotics as well.
If you’re unsure about your vaccination status or notice symptoms, contact your health care provider. Protecting yourself helps protect the most vulnerable.
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