Health authorities in Hawaii are raising alarms following a troubling increase in cases of whooping cough, a potentially deadly disease that predominantly affects infants.
According to the Daily Mail, Officials are urging both visitors and residents to update their vaccinations as confirmed infections in the state have surged to levels not seen in years amid a growing national trend of pertussis outbreaks.
This year, the Hawaii Department of Health has confirmed 108 cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis. This marks a sharp increase from 84 total cases in all of 2024 and only three reported cases in 2023, none of which were fatal.
The bacterium Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough, a bacterial infection. It produces violent, uncontrollable coughing fits that can lead to vomiting, breathing trouble, and even more serious complications like brain damage and death, particularly in babies.
The illness often begins with symptoms resembling the common cold: runny nose, mild fever, and sore throat. However, it typically progresses to severe coughing spells and can leave infants gasping to breathe, with reported cases of blue lips, pneumonia, and even seizures.
“Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease that spreads through the air via the coughs or sneezes of an infected person,” said Dr. Sarah Kemble, epidemiologist with Hawaii’s State Department of Health. She emphasized the need for vaccination among people frequently around babies, including expectant parents and grandparents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 35,000 cases of pertussis in the United States in 2024, including about 10 associated deaths. These rising numbers reflect a broader concern among health officials about slipping vaccine coverage and waning immunity nationwide.
The DTaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, is normally administered to babies starting at two months old and continues through toddlerhood. A booster shot is advised just before school age, with additional Tdap boosters recommended for preteens, adults, and pregnant women.
In Hawaii, vaccine coverage among toddlers lags behind the national average, 87% compared to 92.7%. Nationwide, even the vaccination rate among kindergarteners has declined from 95% during the 2019–2020 school year to 93% in 2023–2024, contributing to greater vulnerability in communities.
Health officials warn that areas with high tourist traffic, like Hawaii, may see faster transmission of whooping cough due to close contact among unvaccinated populations. Travelers arriving from areas with low immunization rates may also contribute to the spread.
“It’s particularly important for families that are expecting a baby,” Dr. Kemble said. “So, everyone in the household who may be spending a lot of time around a newborn infant, we recommend that they also get their booster for pertussis.”
Dr. Marcos Mestre, a pediatric health official at Nicklaus Children’s Health System in Miami, said hospitals are seeing more pertussis cases in emergency departments. “They’re coughing to the point that they can't catch their breath,” Mestre said. “And those are the children we worry about.”
Before vaccines became widely available in 1948, the United States reported as many as 250,000 cases of whooping cough annually. The disease seemed to be in decline until recent years, as vaccination rates began to drop.
Adding to the concern are early signs that the pertussis-causing bacteria may be mutating. According to the CDC, these changes might allow the organism to become resistant to current vaccine formulations, making control of outbreaks more difficult in the future.
Officials are also monitoring the potential policy impact of vaccine skepticism at high levels of government. The nomination of Health Secretary candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his anti-vaccine views, has raised fears that public confidence in routine immunizations might erode further.
Severe cases are not just theoretical. While U.S. health agencies continue tracking domestic outbreaks, media reports from the United Kingdom have highlighted the serious effects of whooping cough as well.
Doctors placed Polly Deehy, a UK patient, into a medically induced coma for 10 days due to the infection. In another incident, doctors hospitalized one-month-old Rosie Robin for two weeks after she fell ill.
Back in the U.S., hospitals such as Nicklaus Children’s Health System are also reporting increased cases that require clinical intervention, if not hospitalization. Some patients, while not admitted, still require urgent care and treatment to manage the disease.
Despite the growing threat, experts say the solution remains clear: get vaccinated. The DTaP and Tdap vaccines continue to offer strong protection, especially in the first year after immunization—up to 98% effectiveness in children and 73% in teenagers.
However, as time passes, the immunity provided by the vaccine declines. In teens, protection drops to about 34% four years after the initial dose, making it important to maintain updated booster schedules through adulthood.
Public health leaders emphasize that even small reductions in immunization rates can quickly lead to larger outbreaks, particularly in communities with dense populations and a high number of infants. Maintaining high vaccine uptake is critical to stopping pertussis from becoming a more widespread threat.
