The Pan American Health Association (PAHO) said the Americas region needs to significantly increase pertussis vaccine coverage and uptake, as cases of whooping cough are surging in a number of countries. 

In 2022, the region reported 3,284 cases, and by last year that number had jumped to 66,184 cases. 2025 is expected to top that.

“Whooping cough is a vaccine-preventable disease, but its resurgence highlights gaps in immunization and epidemiological surveillance,” said Dr. Daniel Salas, executive manager of PAHO’s special program on integrated immunization in a PAHO press release. “It is urgent that countries ensure high and consistent vaccination coverage, especially among children under five, to protect the most vulnerable and prevent outbreaks.”

US has 25,000 cases so far this year

PAHO said pertussis vaccination coverage dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 87% coverage in the region for the first dose (DTP1) and 81% for the third dose (DTP3). Last year coverage rebounded somewhat to 89% and 87%, respectively, but there are significant disparities country-to-country. 

It is urgent that countries ensure high and consistent vaccination coverage, especially among children under five.

In an epidemiologic report, PAHO said the United States has seen by far the most whooping cough cases so far in 2025, with 25,057 confirmed and probable cases, including 13 deaths. Washington state, California, and Florida had the highest case counts. Peru has the second most infections, 3,200, including 49 deaths.

In all countries, whooping cough deaths were primarily seen in infants under 1 year of age. 

New outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been reported in five states, according to the latest update from the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

The hardest hit state is Indiana, where outbreaks affecting more than 15,000 birds have been reported in three commercial duck meat facilities in Elkhart, LaGrange, and Noble counties. An additional 19,400 birds have been affected in an outbreak at a poultry facility in LaGrange. The three countries border one another and are in the northeastern part of the state.

APHIS also reported an outbreak at a commercial poultry in North Dakota, and outbreaks in backyard flocks in Washington, Wyoming, and West Virginia.

HPAI detections are higher in the fall and spring, as wild birds spread the virus during migration. Over the past 30 days, 108 flocks (44 commercial and 64 backyard) have been hit by HPAI outbreaks, with 1.16 million birds affected. 

Dead vultures in Ohio

In other avian flu news, health officials in Ohio say preliminary lab results for two dead vultures found in Pierce Township indicate the birds died from HPAI. The two vultures were among the more than 70 that were found dead on the athletic fields of a local school near Cincinnati on December 1.

A news release from Clermont County Public Health says it will take 10 days to confirm the presumptive HPAI diagnosis as the cause of death.