California is seeing a rise in cases of whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial disease that can cause severe illness, state health officials said Friday. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis,

State health officials are calling on residents, especially pregnant women and those who care for infants, to have an updated Tdap vaccination as cases of whooping cough increase in California. From January to October 2024,

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a contagious respiratory illness, but it is preventable with a common vaccine. For many, it can start with symptoms similar to the common cold, such as a runny nose,

“As Oregon closes out 2024 with a record-breaking number of pertussis (whooping cough) cases, health officials remind everyone that vaccination is the best way to prevent pertussis and, particularly, severe illness among babies,” OHA said.

Medical professionals are stressing the urgency of vaccinations as Oregon reached its highest number of whooping cough cases since 1950.

Whooping cough (pertussis) activity in California is on the rise, with more than 2,000 reported cases and one infant death between the months of January and October of 2024. Everyone who is between 27 and 36 weeks pregnant and family members or caregivers of infants should get the Tdap/DTaP vaccination to help protect infants and young children against serious illness and hospitalization.