Whooping cough on the rise in Seattle

Over the last several years, we've seen an increase in certain kinds of illnesses. That 5 or 10 years ago we thought were under control. The most recent? Whooping cough or pertussis? 

According to axios.com,
‘The Seattle area is seeing an unusual spike in whooping cough cases, with King County reporting 111 cases so far in 2025.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, can be especially dangerous for infants and young children.’ 

Public health Seattle and King County Are asking parents to make sure that their children are up to date on all their immunizations. 

590 cases have already been reported in Washington as of March 8th. Last year over 1000 and 2024. last year the United States reported 32,000 cases of pertussis That is the highest annual total in over a decade. 

Whooping cough initially looks like a common cold. It's a highly contagious bacterial infection. It can last for several weeks, even months. Infants under one year of age are especially susceptible because their immune systems are still developing. 

According to doh.wa.gov,
‘Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent severe illness from whooping cough. DOH urges all families and caregivers who interact with infants and young children to ensure they’re up to date on their whooping cough vaccinations. Pregnant people are strongly encouraged to get the Tdap vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy,’ 

Axios - Seattle
Whooping cough cases in U.S. reach highest level in a decade
Weekly Pertussis Update for Washington State