Whooping Cough Cases Spike, Infants Killed in the US Amid Vaccine Declines
While pertussis, also known as whooping cough, declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a recent resurgence in the illness. More than 10,000 cases are reported every year on average in the US, but there have been over 25,000 in the US so far in 2025. Compared to the period just before the pandemic, cases are occurring at elevated rates. Three infants have also died of pertussis this year so far.
While there is a vaccine available for whooping cough, vaccination rates have been declining. The disease is highly contagious and can spread through infectious particles that hang around in the air.
This infectious illness is caused by a bacterium known as Bordetella pertussis. The infection affects the upper respiratory tract, leading to swelling in airways. Symptoms can start with a runny nose and mild cough; progress to rapid coughing fits; and while these fits eventually decrease, lungs can experience problems that leave them susceptible to other infections.
Brazil Approves the First Single-Dose Dengue Vaccine
Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes, and the rates of this infection have been rising around the world, in part because of climate change. It has been challenging to develop a vaccine for this illness for a variety of reasons, partly because there are different serotypes of virus that cause dengue, and infection with one does not confer immunity to another.
Dengue causes a range of typical, non-specific symptoms like headache, aches, nausea, and vomiting. Many people recover within about a week but it can also lead to more serious complications.
In a clinical trial that included over 16,000 volunteers, the vaccine had 91.6% efficacy against severe dengue.
About 30 million doses of the vaccine will now be produced by a Chinese company, WuXi Biologics, for use in the second half of 2026 in Brazil.
Marburg Outbreak in Ethiopia
Marburg virus disease (MVD) is caused by the Marburg virus (MARV). There is an ongoing outbreak of MVD in Ethiopia. This is the country’s first Marburg outbreak. The first alert for this outbreak was raised on November 12, 2025 and as of November 26, 2025, there were eleven confirmed cases, which includes six deaths and five cases in which individuals are still receiving treatment. Contact tracing has also been performed and about 200 people are under observation.
MVD is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from fruit bats to humans, and causes severe illness that is often fatal. The virus can also be transmitted through direct contact with the body fluids, such as blood, of an infected individual. The infection is a hemorraghic fever that leads to high fever, headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, and watery or bloody diarrhea.
The World Health Organization does not consider this outbreak to present a threat to the global community.
Sources: UC Health, CDC, AFP, Reuters, Africa CDC, World Health Organization