Whooping cough outbreaks: Why is pertussis on the rise in several countries?

Close up on a babies leg as a gloved medical provider places a bandaid on it, as if after a vaccination.

Cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have been on the rise in various countries, including the U.K., Australia and China. The U.S. has not seen similar upticks yet, although a few isolated outbreaks have been reported in 2024, as can be expected each year.

Here's what you should know about whooping cough and how to prevent the disease.