Texas DSHS reports significant increase in whooping cough cases

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported a sharp rise in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in 2024, with the number of cases so far this year nearly tripling compared to the same period in 2023. This increase is part of a larger national trend, where preliminary data shows a more than fivefold surge in cases across the United States.

According to the DSHS, pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria.