Health officials in the United States are sounding the alarm as a Victorian-era disease makes a devastating comeback, claiming the lives of three infants in Kentucky. The children, who were all unvaccinated, died from whooping cough, marking the state's first pertussis-related fatalities since 2018.
A State in Crisis
Kentucky is currently grappling with its highest number of whooping cough cases in over a decade. So far this year, 566 infections have been recorded, the most since 2012. Professor Kristina Bryant, a pediatrics expert at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, confirmed the tragic situation. 'We're definitely seeing more cases,' she stated. 'Earlier this year two babies under one year old died in Kentucky, and today a third baby died. None of the infants or the mothers had been vaccinated.'
A National Surge in Infections
The tragedy in Kentucky is not an isolated incident. Similar infant deaths have been reported this year in states including Louisiana, Idaho, South Dakota, and Washington. Federal data reveals that more than 25,000 cases have been recorded across the US so far this year, making it the second consecutive year of unusually high activity. The annual average in recent years has been around 20,000.
Some states are experiencing particularly sharp spikes. In Texas, whooping cough cases have quadrupled compared to last year, prompting a second consecutive health alert from state authorities. Meanwhile, Florida officials reported 1,295 cases as of late September, an 81 percent surge from the previous year.
The Critical Role of Vaccination
Medical experts point to two primary factors driving the resurgence: declining vaccination rates and waning immunity from earlier childhood vaccines. The share of kindergartners receiving the DTaP vaccine has fallen to 92.1 percent for the 2024-2025 school year, down from approximately 95 percent before the pandemic. This is below the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity.
The situation is particularly concerning in specific regions. In Florida, DTaP vaccination rates have dropped to 90.6 percent, the lowest in a decade. In Texas, vaccination levels have not reached 95 percent since at least 2012.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It is particularly dangerous for infants, with approximately one in 50 unvaccinated children under six months old not surviving the infection. The disease can be prevented with the DTaP vaccine, which is 98 percent effective. The five-dose series begins at two months old, with boosters recommended for adolescents and adults.
Public health officials warn that unless vaccination coverage improves, especially for pregnant women and children, pertussis infections are likely to continue rising, putting the most vulnerable at increased risk.
