{"id":374839,"date":"2025-11-13T01:34:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T01:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/374839\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T01:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T01:34:14","slug":"whooping-cough-cases-on-the-rise-across-texas-including-in-san-antonio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/374839\/","title":{"rendered":"Whooping cough cases on the rise across Texas, including in San Antonio"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 Texas is seeing the highest number of whooping cough cases in more than a decade. <\/p>\n

More than 3,500 cases have been reported<\/a> across the state through October this year, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the most Texas has seen in 11 years.<\/p>\n

According to Metro Health, the cases across San Antonio are on the rise as well. Bexar County had 72 cases reported in 2024, and there have been 197 cases reported so far in 2025.<\/p>\n

According to infectious disease specialist Dr. Jason Bowling with University Health and UT Health San Antonio, 44 cases have been recorded with University Health this year. Last year there were 17 cases, not including November and December cases, which is usually the busiest time for respiratory illnesses. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo about 2.5 times what we saw last year,\u201d Bowling said. <\/p>\n

Bowling said for most people, pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a mild illness and they won\u2019t end up in the hospital.<\/p>\n

However, older adults and especially infants are at the highest risk because it can shut down their respiratory system. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd when they stop breathing, obviously their oxygen levels can drop,\u201d Bowling said. \u201cThey can have serious outcomes, end up at the hospital, the ICU, and worst-case scenarios, even death.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowling said there has been an increase for a couple of reasons. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe do see some periodic variation, ups and downs with whooping cough over the years,\u201d Bowling said. \u201cBut there\u2019s also a concerning component that there might be some people that are behind on their vaccines that could protect against pertussis, or whooping cough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here is the DTaP vaccine schedule for whooping cough, according to the CDC<\/a>:<\/p>\n