Mexico Reports Surge in Whooping Cough Cases

Health authorities in Mexico have reported a sharp rise in whooping cough cases in 2025, including 45 infant deaths and more than 700 confirmed infections through April 18, 2025 prompting renewed calls for vaccination and preventive action.

The increase prompted the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE) to issue an epidemiological alert in late February, reports UNAM. By epidemiological week 9, 288 cases had been confirmed, a significant jump from just 19 during the same period in 2024. The numbers have continued to climb since then.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious acute respiratory infection caused by the Bordetella pertussisbacterium, according to the National Committee for Epidemiological Surveillance (CONAVE). It spreads through direct contact with respiratory droplets from an infected person, particularly when coughing or sneezing.

Before vaccines were available, pertussis primarily affected children. Although routine immunization has reduced its prevalence, the disease still poses a risk to children who have not completed their vaccination schedule and to adults whose immunity has diminished over time, reports Mayo Clinic.

"The cases of measles and whooping cough are a public health issue,” says Ricardo Monreal,  Coordinator, MORENA Parliamentary Group.

In response to the rising case numbers, Mexico’s Ministry of Health announced that the upcoming National Vaccination Week, scheduled from April 26 to May 3, will include free immunizations against multiple diseases, including whooping cough. The campaign aims to close immunization gaps and reduce the risk of further outbreaks.

“We encourage the vaccination of children under one year of age to prevent serious illnesses such as whooping cough. These vaccines are essential to protect the youngest members of the population,” says Michoacan’s Ministry of Health.