PAHO warns of surge in pertussis cases
Globally, cases are also increasing, with a notable decline in childhood vaccination rates contributing to the trend
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert Wednesday due to a rise in whooping cough (pertussis) cases in the Americas, urging stronger epidemiological surveillance and improved childhood vaccination coverage, particularly for children under 1 and 5 years old.
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and the United States have detected outbreaks in 2025, with 14,201 cases and 93 deaths reported as of May. While this number is lower than the total cases in 2024 (43,751), it already surpasses previous years’ figures. Cases are also increasing globally, with a notable decline in childhood vaccination rates contributing to the trend.
The PAHO emphasized the importance of achieving a 95% vaccination coverage rate with the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP3) vaccine in infants, ensuring booster shots through adolescence, and vaccinating pregnant women and healthcare workers in contact with newborns to curb the disease’s spread.
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection that spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe complications, especially in infants, and even death. The disease begins with a mild fever, runny nose, and cough, progressing rapidly to severe coughing spells followed by noisy inspiration.
Between 2010 and 2019, an average of 170,000 cases were reported annually, dropping to 29,000 cases in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
