This will go out shortly This is a bilingual message Spanish follows English Public Health Officials Urge Immunization as Pertussis (“Whooping Cough”) Cases Increase in[...]

County of Monterey public health officials urge residents to stay up to date with their pertussis immunizations due to a recent increase in the number of reported pertussis cases this year. Since January 1, 2026, the County of Monterey Health Department has received 43 reports of pertussis infections among Monterey County residents, in comparison to 11 reported infections during the same timeframe in 2025. The 43 pertussis infections reported during the first five months of 2026 exceed the 36 infections reported during the entire twelve months of 2025. Age of individuals reported to date in 2026 ranged from 3 months to 78 years, with nearly half of cases being between the ages of 5 and 17 years.

Newborns are at the highest risk for complications of pertussis. "I strongly encourage women to get vaccinated during weeks 27 to 36 of each pregnancy. Immunity developed by mothers during pregnancy is passed to newborn infants," states Dr. Edward Moreno, Health Officer and Public Health Director. "I also encourage parents to vaccinate their babies on time, which helps babies strengthen their own immunity to pertussis." Adult healthcare workers and individuals who care for infants should make sure they have received at least one dose of the pertussis vaccine called Tdap so that they do not infect vulnerable individuals.

The symptoms of pertussis, also known as "whooping cough," vary by age. For children, a typical case of pertussis starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks. The cough then worsens, and children may have rapid coughing spells that end with a whooping sound. Young infants may not have typical pertussis symptoms and may have no apparent cough. Parents may describe episodes in which the infant's face turns red or purple and episodes in which the infant stops breathing.