Washington: More than 25,000 cases of whooping cough have been reported in the US, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to Anadolu Agency, this marks the second consecutive year with an increase in infections. Around this time last year, about 33,000 pertussis cases were recorded. CDC figures indicate that whooping cough cases have now exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with approximately 18,600 infections reported in 2019.

Infants are particularly vulnerable to this highly contagious disease. Earlier this year, Washington and Louisiana both reported infant deaths. In February, the Spokane Regional Health District confirmed Washington's first pertussis-related death since 2011. Additionally, the Louisiana Office of the Surgeon General verified that two young infants had died in the last six months, with the previous death occurring in 2018.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, as explained by the CDC. The bacteria attach to the cilia in the upper respiratory tract, releasing toxins that damage these tiny hair-like structures, resulting in swelling of the airways.