Infection That Causes Uncontrollable Coughing and Breathing Problems Spreading in New York

Measles isn't the only concerning virus that health officials fear could soon spread uncontrollably.

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The United States is on track to report over 1,000 measles cases if the outbreaks in Texas, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico aren't brought under control.

The CDC says if the U.S. reaches that threshold, it'll mark the highest number of reported cases since 1992.  The illness had been considered eliminated in 2000.

Health officials say measles is preventable through vaccines, but dropping vaccination rates are being blamed for the rising number of cases,

Meanwhile, another potentially dangerous illness is surging this year, and again, doctors are blaming falling vaccination rates.

Read More: Dangerous, Extremely Contagious Illness Spreading in New York

Health officials are continuing to fight against pertussis, a serious bacterial illness that has been spreading rapidly across the nation since late last year.

Pertussis, also known as whopping cough, an infection that health experts say has a vaccine that helps keep people out of the hospital.

The CDC says roughly 35,000 people were infected in 2024. That's four times higher than the number reported the previous year.

Pertussis earned its moniker "whooping cough" because it causes uncontrollable coughing and can often result in people making a whooping-like sound between fits.

The reason people cough so violently is because the bacteria causes the windpipe to become covered in a thick mucus, which makes it difficult to breathe.

These persistent coughing fits are exhausting and can be extremely dangerous among small children and infants

Dr. Sapna Singh of Texas Children’s Pediatrics told NBC News, "They're unable to catch their breath. They're fighting for air. They're fighting to breathe."

Last year, there were 10 pediatric deaths reported across the United States. This year, Idaho and South Dakota reported a pertussis-related death.

How Many Cases of Pertussis in 2025?

Pertussis cases have jumped over 1,500% since 2021 and health officials fear cases may exceed the record amount documented last year.  The Washington Post says current totals have reached 8,077 confirmed cases nationwide.

The pertussis vaccination rate has dropped in many states, including New York. Vaccination rates among American kindergarteners is at 92.3 percent, which is down 2.6% from 2020.

In that same period of time, the number of kindergarteners with vaccine exemptions grew by 37 percent.

Unfortunately, due to continued skepticism and misinformation about vaccines, some medical officials are worried even more preventable diseases will rear their ugly heads.

Paul Offit, of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told the Washington Post, "I think the only way we move forward again is if we hit bottom and people say, ‘This is enough children dying.’”