Pertussis — a disease commonly referred to as whooping cough — is spreading quickly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. The U.S. has seen five times more cases in 2024 than we did at this time last year.

Whooping cough — highly contagious and potentially dangerous — has surged in California to levels not seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were over 1,000 cases more between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2024 compared to last year during that same period.

California's cases of whooping cough are more than six times as high as last year, and in Los Angeles County, reports of the infectious disease rose by nearly 119%. It reflects a trend seen across the U.

Whooping cough levels are at their highest since pre-pandemic in California, mirroring similar patterns elsewhere, say scientists.

Cases of whooping cough rising in California in 2024