State health officials have reported the first pertussis, or whooping cough, death in Mississippi of 2025.
The Mississippi State Department of Health confirmed Monday that an infant under 2 months old died from the highly contagious bacterial infection. The child, whose name and location of death were not announced, was too young to be vaccinated against whooping cough.
Pertussis, according to officials, causes uncontrollable, violent coughs that make it hard to breathe. It most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies under 1 year old. To date, 115 pertussis cases have been reported by MSDH since January 1 of this year.
This is a sharp increase from the 49 pertussis cases reported during 2024. Including this death, there have been three pediatric pertussis deaths reported in Mississippi since 2008.
“Vaccination is one of the safest and most effective ways to protect against pertussis and is recommended for everyone. DTaP is recommended for younger children, while Tdap is recommended for older children, pregnant women, and adults,” a portion of a release from the MSDH reads. “Infants should receive DTaP vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 months, followed by two booster doses at 15 to 18 months and at 4 to 6 years. Pre-teens should receive a single dose of Tdap at 11 to 12 years to boost their immunity.”
Pregnant women are encouraged to receive a single dose of Tdap during each pregnancy in the 27th through 36th week of pregnancy to help protect their newborns from pertussis during their first few months of life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends a single dose of Tdap for adults who have never received the vaccine.
Although there is no routine recommendation for pertussis boosters, pertussis immunity wanes over time. It is recommended for adults to receive booster doses every 10 years to maintain protection against tetanus and diphtheria.
Grandparents who will come into close contact with young children are especially encouraged to get vaccinated or boosted against pertussis to prevent passing the illness to the child.
“Even healthy adults can unknowingly spread dangerous respiratory infections like pertussis and RSV to infants, who are more susceptible to health complications, including death,” the MSDH’s statement further reads. “There is no distinct seasonal pattern to pertussis.”
Past trends suggest that cases may increase in summer and fall, and the pertussis vaccine usually takes up to two weeks to produce immunity. Pertussis vaccines for those 18 and under who are eligible for the Vaccines for Children program are available at County Health Departments statewide.
Insurance, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program are also accepted for children’s pertussis vaccines, per officials. A list of all Vaccines for Children providers can be found here. Adults who are underinsured or uninsured qualify for an adult pertussis vaccination at various MSDH County Health Department clinics. Pertussis vaccinations for insured adults are widely available through private physicians, pharmacies, and retail centers.
While vaccination is the best protection against severe pertussis outcomes, there are other things one can do to reduce the spread of pertussis. These measures include:
- Treatment with appropriate antibiotics if one has been exposed to pertussis.
- Covering one’s mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
- Staying at home when one or one’s children are sick.
- Washing one’s hands frequently and keeping them away from one’s face.
Pertussis is a Class 1A reportable disease and must be reported to MSDH by phone within 24 hours of first knowledge or suspicion, officials say.
