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This month, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reported 80 pertussis cases for the year so far—well surpassing its total of 49 cases reported in all of 2024. Ten patients have been hospitalized, including 7 children under the age of 2, although no deaths have been recorded through July 10, 2025. Children under 18 account for 76% of Mississippi’s cases, including 7 infants younger than 2 months. At least 28 of the individuals who were eligible for the vaccine were unvaccinated. Geographically, 40% of cases occurred in northeast Mississippi. MSDH is urging vaccination, particularly for infants, pregnant women, and family members who will be in contact with newborns.Â
Seasonal trends forecast more cases: While national pertussis cases have declined since a peak in November 2024, levels in 2025 remain elevated compared to prepandemic years, according to data from early June reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2024 overall, there were more than 35,000 cases of pertussis in the United States, the highest in more than a decade. Ten patients died, including 6 babies less than 1 year old. Alaska experienced an outbreak last year and recorded the highest incidence of pertussis (81.11 per 100,000) of any state. Seasonal trends suggest providers could see case increases across the country for the remainder of the year.
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