Local Health Officials Warn of Rise in Whooping Cough Cases, Urge Vaccination

The Pasadena Public Health Department issued a health advisory Monday warning of a significant increase in pertussis cases in the community and directing local clinicians to suspect, test and treat suspected infections promptly.

The advisory, sent by Health Officer Parveen Kaur, comes roughly two weeks after the Department announced on April 29 that four confirmed cases of pertussis — better known as whooping cough — had been identified at Don Benito Fundamental School in northeast Pasadena. The Department said early, appropriate testing, treatment and prevention measures are essential to reduce further transmission, “especially among infants, pregnant people, and other high-risk groups.”

The advisory does not specify a citywide case count. It states only that the Pasadena Public Health Department “is seeing a significant increase in pertussis (‘whooping cough’) activity circulating in the community.”

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can cause severe disease, particularly in infants and those with underlying health conditions, according to the advisory. It typically spreads through respiratory droplets from infected individuals. Symptoms usually appear five to 21 days after exposure and begin with cold-like symptoms — sneezing, runny nose, mild cough and low-grade fever — that worsen over one to two weeks, the Department said. Severe coughing fits may cause the gasping “whoop,” along with vomiting or difficulty breathing. Infants may not cough but may gag, turn red or blue, or briefly stop breathing.

Kaur’s advisory directs Pasadena clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for pertussis in patients with prolonged cough, paroxysms, post-tussive vomiting, inspiratory whoop, or known exposure. It identifies polymerase chain reaction testing from a nasopharyngeal swab as the preferred diagnostic method and instructs providers to begin azithromycin or an equivalent antibiotic promptly when clinically indicated. The advisory states serology testing is not recommended for clinical diagnosis.

Patients should be excluded from high-risk settings until they have completed five days of appropriate antibiotic therapy, or 21 days after cough onset if untreated, the advisory says. The Department also recommends post-exposure preventive antibiotics for all household contacts, consistent with guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Don Benito Fundamental School is located at 3700 Denair St. In an interview with ABC7 the day the cluster was announced, Pasadena Public Health Department epidemiologist Matt Feaster said all four of the school’s confirmed cases were fully vaccinated.

“Kids are the perfect vessels for transmission — even if they’re fully vaccinated,” Feaster said. “In this instance, all four of our cases were fully vaccinated.”

“What the vaccine does is protect you from severe illness and death,” Feaster said.

On the day of the announcement, parent Patriciea Charles told ABC7, “I’m a little scared… I don’t know. I kind of feel safe, but I don’t know.” Another parent, Mani Grundy, said the school was doing what it could. “They’re handling it, pretty much to the best of their ability,” Grundy said. “They sent full notice to all families so they’re doing the best that they can.”

In its April 29 statement on the Don Benito cluster, the Pasadena Public Health Department said it was working closely with the Pasadena Unified School District and community partners to monitor for additional cases. The Department said guidance had been provided to all identified close contacts, including instructions for testing, treatment and home isolation if symptoms appeared.

The Department recommends that children stay current on the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, that children ages 11 or 12 receive the Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) booster, and that adults — especially pregnant people and caregivers of young children — also receive a Tdap booster. The California Department of Public Health strongly urges pregnant people to receive Tdap between 27 and 36 weeks of every pregnancy and says the vaccine is approximately 90% effective at preventing infant hospitalizations from whooping cough when given during pregnancy.

National and state trends provide context. The CDC reported on April 28 that preliminary data show fewer pertussis cases have been reported nationally in 2026 than in the same period in 2025, and that reported cases peaked in November 2024. The agency describes pertussis as a cyclical disease, with peaks every few years. The California Department of Public Health reported more than 2,000 pertussis cases and one infant death in the state between January and October 2024.

Pasadena is one of three cities in California that maintains its own independent local health jurisdiction. The Pasadena Public Health Department offers the Tdap vaccine on Monday and Wednesday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. by appointment and walk-in. The federal Vaccines for Children program provides vaccines to children whose parents or guardians may not be able to afford them.

Pasadena clinicians are directed to report suspected or confirmed pertussis cases to the Department at (626) 744-6089 Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or every other Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. After-hours calls should go to (626) 744-6043, the advisory says.

The advisory does not say how long elevated pertussis activity is expected to continue. “While activity is increasing, prompt recognition, testing, and treatment by clinicians can help prevent complications and reduce spread within households, schools, and other community settings,” the Department said in its May 11 statement.