Michigan public health leaders are again urging the public to make sure they are up to date on all immunizations to protect against outbreaks of serious communicable diseases such as pertussis or whooping cough, RSV, COVID-19 and the flu.

Michigan is facing a significant increase in pertussis cases, with the highest numbers in more than a decade, according to a news release from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. This surge is especially concerning coming amid a busy respiratory virus season, posing risks to vulnerable populations such as infants and unvaccinated individuals.

As of Sunday, the current count of 1,530 cases of pertussis in Michigan is more than 2.5 times the yearly average of 596 cases from 2017 to 2019. More than half of the cases — 826 — occurred in school-age children 5 to 17 years old, and 66% of cases involved individuals who were either unvaccinated or their most recent vaccine was five years ago or longer, according to the Michigan Disease Surveillance System.

Vaccination coverage for pertussis is down 3% from January 2020, with only 73.3% of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving the recommended four doses of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis — better known as the DTaP vaccine — as of October. School waivers for the DTaP/Tdap vaccine series have nearly doubled over that same period, growing from 3.2% of Michigan kindergarten students with a waiver in 2020 to 6.2% in 2023, according to the news release.

“As Michigan faces a record number of pertussis cases, it’s more important than ever for parents, caregivers and communities to prioritize vaccination,” said Ryan Malosh, director of the MDHHS Division of Immunization. “Whooping cough is a serious, preventable disease that can have devastating effects, especially on babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated. By staying up to date on immunizations, including booster shots for teens and adults, we can protect our loved ones and prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease. Immunization is not just an individual responsibility — it’s a critical step in safeguarding public health.”

Pertussis often starts with mild cold-like symptoms but progresses to severe coughing fits that can last for weeks or months. Commonly called whooping cough, pertussis is known for the “whoop” noise when someone gasps for air after a coughing fit. It can take five to 10 days for symptoms to appear after exposure and sometimes longer. Babies and young children may not cough, but they may have pauses in their breathing — called apnea — that can make their skin look bluish or cause shortness of breath. Later symptoms can include uncontrolled coughing fits.

Pertussis is most dangerous for infants under 1 year of age, as they are at higher risk for severe complications such as pneumonia, brain damage and even death. More than half of infants who contract pertussis require hospitalization.

The CDC recommends the pertussis vaccine for infants, children, adolescents and people who are pregnant. It also recommends a dose for adults who haven’t received a dose as adolescents or adults.

The CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices also recommend the COVID-19 vaccine and an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as part of the recommended childhood and adolescent vaccination schedules.