Alarming Whooping Cough Rates May Hit a Record High

she said, adding that the country may see record high pertussis rates this year. Nine deaths from whooping cough have been reported this year so far among roughly 18,000 cases that have reported to the CDC.

Schuchat said a number of factors are driving the increase. The disease is cyclical, she noted, with peaks and valleys that happen about every three to five years. Immunity to the vaccine could diminish over time. A rise in diagnoses and reporting of cases may influence the data as well.

Schuchat stopped short of blaming vaccine delayers and abstainers for the increase in cases. She said she’s aware of pockets around the country with large numbers of unvaccinated people, but added,

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