Key points
- Pertussis remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide.
- Pertussis rates are highest among young children in countries that have lower vaccination coverage.
- Learn about global trends in pertussis.
Global impact
Pertussis remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide, despite overall high vaccination coverage.
Most pertussis deaths occur in young babies who are either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated.
Trends
In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 941,565 pertussis cases globally. Between 1990 and 2019, the global number of new cases of pertussis annually declined 40.98%.
A 2014 publication estimated 24.1 million pertussis cases and 160,700 deaths in children younger than 5 years worldwide.
Low vaccination coverage
The incidence of pertussis is highest among young children in countries where vaccination coverage is low, primarily in the developing world.
In developed countries, the incidence of pertussis is highest among unvaccinated babies and increases again among teens.