Of the 19.9 million children who either have no vaccines or only partial DTP vaccination coverage, 55% live in 10 countries.
These are the first whooping cough deaths in the state since 2018.
The US has been hit hardest, with more than 10,000 cases and 5 deaths, 4 of them in children younger than 1 year.
Part of a national rise in cases, Louisiana has reported two infant deaths from pertussis this year.
Louisiana officials have said they will no longer promote vaccinations, despite rising whooping cough cases in their state.
PAHO is tracking a rise in dengue serogroup 3 activity, which could raise the risk of severe illness as countries approach the peak of the season.
Of the state's 2,000 whooping cough cases through October, 62 involved hospitalized infants, 1 of whom died.
Thirty percent of respondents don't know that pertussis is the same as whooping cough or that it is vaccine-preventable.
The results support the vaccines' use as boosters in adolescents, the authors say.
They did recognize that adults with weakened immune systems and chronic respiratory illnesses are at elevated risk for severe illness.
With flu and COVID levels still low but expected to rise, the CDC said vaccination is a good way to cut risk over the holiday season.
As flu test positivity crept upward, emergency department visits increased slightly among children and adolescents.
Washington, for example, has reported nearly 1,200 cases this year, up sharply from 2023.
Through the first half of 2024, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Peru are seeing increases in pertussis cases.
With multiple factors fueling the surge, 9 infant deaths have been reported since cases started rising in November.
Whooping cough cases in Europe have seen a nearly 10-fold increase in 2023 and 2024.
The CDC recommends that healthcare providers use the Tdap vaccine rather than the Td vaccine in patients without a pertussis vaccine contraindication.
Indirect costs such as those from lost productivity and informal care made up 67% of the total cost.
Researchers also examined timing of maternal vaccination and the possibility of a blunting effect after infants got their pertussis shots.
A UNICEF/WHO report highlights gender inequalities related to public health issues with household drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene.
