Two infants in Louisiana recently died of pertussis, a disease that has been on the rise across the U.S. since 2021.
The Louisiana Office of the Surgeon General confirmed on March 27 that the infants died of pertussis (whooping cough) within the last six months. The state’s last infant death due to pertussis was in 2018.
Last year saw a sharp spike in whooping cough cases nationwide, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2024, 35,435 cases were reported. That’s up from the 2023 total of 7,063, which was a significant increase itself – 3,044 and 2,116 pertussis cases were reported by the CDC in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
According to a provisional report from the CDC, 10 people (six under age 1) died of pertussis in 2024; single-digit totals were reported in the three previous years.
“Vaccination is the best way to prevent pertussis, and it is very important for all children to get all their recommended pertussis vaccines on time and according to the schedule,” said James D. Campbell, M.D., M.S., FAAP, vice chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases.
The immunization schedule calls for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine to be given at 2 months of age. Subsequent doses are given at 4 months and 6 months, with boosters at 15-18 months and 4-6 years. A tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) booster is recommended at 11-12 years old.
To prevent adult transmission to babies, people in close contact with infants younger than 1 year should get a booster, and pregnant people should get the vaccine during the third trimester.
An October 2024 report from the CDC showed 92% of kindergartners nationwide in the 2023-’24 school year had gotten their DTaP shots. The average coverage rate for DTaP, polio, varicella and measles-mumps-rubella shots dipped to 92.5% from 95% in 2019-’20.
A record high 3.3% of kindergartners had a vaccine exemption in 2023-’24.
Pertussis is a highly contagious infection of the breathing passages. Symptoms vary by age, preexisting conditions and vaccination status, but the main sign is strong coughing. Deep, fast breaths taken between those coughs produce a “whooping” sound. Infants younger than 1 year who contract pertussis are at risk of developing pneumonia, seizures and other complications.
Weekly flu update
The CDC on Friday reported nine more pediatric influenza deaths, bringing the total for the 2024-’25 season to 168. No new human cases of avian influenza were reported.
Flu-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits in the U.S. have been declining since hitting a peak in February, but the CDC still expects several more weeks of flu activity.
The newly reported pediatric deaths occurred in the week ending Dec. 28, 2024, and between March 1 and March 22. Seven were associated with influenza A virus, and two with influenza B.
The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine as long as flu activity continues. Flu shots typically begin to protect against infection two weeks after administration.
The CDC estimates there have been at least 45 million illnesses, 580,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 deaths related to the flu this season.
