Cases of whooping cough have skyrocketed in Texas and continued to consistently increase on a national level, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

More than 3,500 cases of whooping cough were reported within Texas in 2025, which marks the second consecutive year in which the Lonestar State had an increase of cases compared to the previous year. Whooping cough cases have also been higher nationally in each of the past two years than levels reported previously, following a steady trend since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The United States was reported to have seen nearly six times as many cases in 2024 than 2023, according to CDC data. Cases were still elevated in 2025, however, had trended down since a reported peak last winter, according to the CDC, though federal public health data systems haven't been updated since the U.S. government shutdown began on October 1.

The most recent CDC numbers reported at least 20,939 pertussis cases so far in 2025, which is 452 less than the 21,391 reported at the same time in 2024. The increased rate in cases during recent years have coincided with vaccination rates for whooping cough steadily dropping, according to CDC data.

An estimated 92.1% of kindergarteners were vaccinated against whooping cough during the 2024-25, which is 2.9% less than the 95% prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whooping cough, known by its medical name of pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by bacteria, which often begins similarly to a common cold and is capable of lasting for weeks or months and can be life-threatening, especially in infants and young children.

Lucy Chapman