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Vaccine Preventable Diseases

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Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Contact: Florida Health


August Key Points

51 Cases
0 new
outbreaks
Average of 3
contacts per case
<1 year olds had
highest incidence
61% cases not up-to-date
or unknown vaccination status
A graph showing a summary of pertussis cases reported by month in 2019 as compared to the previous 5-year average. In August 2019, 51 cases of pertussis were reported, which is above the previous 5-year average.

The number of pertussis cases reported in August increased slightly from the previous month and was above the previous 5-year average. In general, more pertussis cases are reported during the summer months.

A map showing the previous 3-month average pertussis rates per 100,000 population. Counties with one or more cases reported in August are: Bay, Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Miami-Dade, Escambia, Flagler, Hillsborough, Lake, Manatee, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, St. Johns, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, Suwannee, Union, Volusia, Wakulla. Counties with a rate of 0.1-0.3 per 100,000 population are: Bay, Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Miami-Dade, Escambia, Lee, Leon, Marion, Orange, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole. Counties with a rate of 0.4-1.1 per 100,000 population are: Collier, Flagler, Hillsborough, Lake, Levy, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Volusia, Walton. Counties with a rate of 1.2-2.1 per 100,000 population are: Union, Wakulla.

The 51 pertussis cases in August were reported among the 24 counties outlined in black. From June through August 2019 the average county rate has varied throughout the state.

A graph showing a summary of the total number of pertussis cases reported by year with an emphasis on 2019. In total for each year there have been: 713 in 2014; 341 in 2015; 335 in 2016; 358 in 2017; 326 in 2018; and 281 in 2019.

From January 1, 2019 through August 31, 2019, 281 pertussis cases were reported in 40 counties.

Since 2015, the number of pertussis cases reported annually remained stable. Pertussis is cyclic in nature, with peaks in disease every 3-5 years. Pertussis cases last peaked between 2013 and 2014. Year-to-date cases counts as of August 2019 are slightly higher to those seen at this time in previous years, as noted by the white bar in the figure.

A graph showing a bar graph of total cases compared to household associated cases and outbreak associated cases for August 2019 and the previous 3-month average.

In August, 15 (29%) of 51 total pertussis cases were associated with transmission within households no cases were outbreak-associated. For most pertussis cases, exposure to other known cases is never identified, and they are not able to be linked to outbreaks.

No pertussis outbreaks were reported in August.

So far in 2019, a total of two pertussis outbreaks have been reported in school settings.

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