JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - Officials with the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) confirmed that an infant in the state recently died from pertussis. According to the agency, the infant was less than two months old and was not age-eligible to be vaccinated against pertussis.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughs that make it hard to breathe. It most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies under one year old.

Health officials said 115 pertussis cases have been reported to MSDH since January 1, 2025, as of the publication of this article. They said this is a sharp increase from the 49 pertussis cases reported during 2024. Including this death, there hav

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