US reports more than 25,000 whooping cough cases, surpassing pre-pandemic levels

More than 25,000 cases of whooping cough have been reported in the US, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

It marks the second straight year with higher-than-usual infections. Around this time last year, roughly 33,000 pertussis cases had been recorded.

CDC figures show that whooping cough cases are now well above pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, about 18,600 infections were reported.

Infants are especially vulnerable to the highly contagious disease. The states of Washington and Louisiana both reported infant deaths earlier this year.

In February, the Spokane Regional Health District announced Washington's first confirmed pertussis-related death since 2011. The Louisiana Office of the Surgeon General also confirmed that two young infants in the state had died within the past six months, noting the previous death occurred in 2018.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, according to the CDC. The bacteria attach to the cilia in the upper respiratory tract and release toxins that damage these tiny hair-like structures, leading to swelling of the airways.