Michigan’s state health department reported more than 1,500 pertussis infections as of December 8, 2024—the highest number of cases in 10 years, according to Mlive. By comparison, the state saw a 596-case average from 2017 through 2019. And Michigan isn’t alone. The Massachusetts department of public health also reported a 5-fold increase in the number of confirmed cases of pertussis with 754 cases on the books through the end of November, compared to 115 in the same period in 2023. This year, reported cases of pertussis increased across the United States with preliminary data showing that more than 6 times as many cases have been reported through November 30, 2024, compared to the same time in 2023.
More information boosters needed: A recent survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania suggests that Americans aren’t especially familiar with pertussis. Only 29% of respondents in a nationally representative group of 1,771 adults surveyed in November correctly identified all 3 diseases afforded protection with the Tdap vaccine—tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis. Also, 30% were not sure if pertussis is the same as whooping cough, and likewise, 30% were not sure whether or not a vaccine is available to prevent it.