Louisiana Faced Worst Whooping Cough Outbreak in 35 Years Amid Vaccine Promotion Pause
Louisiana experienced its most severe whooping cough outbreak in 35 years, with delayed public health alerts and a temporary halt to vaccine promotion coinciding with a change in state leadership and policy.
By September 20, 2025, the state had recorded 387 cases of whooping cough, surpassing the previous high of 214 cases in 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak tragically resulted in the deaths of at least three infants, with two fatalities confirmed by late January 2025. Despite these deaths, the Louisiana Department of Health waited until May to issue its first official alert to physicians and a press release, a delay experts say hampered efforts to contain the spread.
The delayed response followed a February 13th memo from State Surgeon General Ralph Abraham, halting the general promotion of vaccines and community vaccine events, just hours after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as the new U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary. Abraham stated that public health had “overstepped” with vaccine recommendations, advocating for a less centralized approach. “Particularly for these childhood diseases, we usually jump all over these,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. The lack of swift action is particularly concerning as whooping cough is especially dangerous for infants too young to be fully vaccinated, but who can gain immunity if their mothers are vaccinated during pregnancy.
The situation underscores the critical importance of rapid public health communication during outbreaks and the potential consequences of policy shifts impacting vaccination efforts. As of today, the Louisiana Department of Health maintains that it “consistently reported cases of pertussis and provided guidance to help residents stay protected” in 2025, and that the pertussis vaccine is “one of the least controversial,” according to a recent post by the state surgeon general. KFF Health News provides further context on the national increase in pertussis cases.
