Warning for Parents: Infants may not “whoop” or cough at all. Instead, they may struggle to breathe or turn blue (apnea). If you see this, seek emergency care immediately.
Why is This Happening Now?
Pennsylvania health experts point to “waning immunity” as the primary driver.
- Most adults received their Pertussis vaccine (Tdap) as children, but protection fades after about 10 years.
- The current surge is being driven largely by high school/college students and adults passing the infection to vulnerable family members.
The Action Plan: What to Do Today
- Check Your Records: If you haven’t had a Tdap booster in the last 10 years, you are likely unprotected. Pharmacies across Pennsylvania (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens) currently have stock available.
- Listen to the Cough: If you or your child has been coughing for more than 7 days—especially if it causes vomiting—ask your doctor specifically for a Pertussis test.
- The “Cocooning” Strategy: If you have a newborn or pregnant family member, ensure everyone who visits them is boosted. This is critical, as PA hospitals are seeing a rise in infant hospitalizations this month.
Stay safe, Pennsylvania. Share this alert with family members in the affected counties to help stop the spread.
A highly contagious respiratory illness known as the “100-Day Cough” is surging across Pennsylvania, with state health officials reporting a startling rise in cases in the first weeks of 2026.
While many residents are focused on the winter flu season, doctors are urging Pennsylvanians to be on high alert for Pertussis (Whooping Cough)—a bacterial infection that can be dangerous for infants and exhausting for adults.
According to recent surveillance data, Pennsylvania is currently seeing some of the highest case numbers on the East Coast, with outbreaks concentrated in the southeastern “collar counties.”
The Hotspots: Where is it Spreading?
Health officials have flagged a sharp increase in confirmed cases in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. If you live in the following counties, you are currently in a high-transmission zone:
- Montgomery County (Particularly in local school districts)
- Delaware County
- Chester County
- Allegheny County (Western PA is now seeing a “second wave” of cases)
Local urgent care centers are reporting that many patients arriving with a “persistent cough” are testing positive for Pertussis, not the flu or COVID-19.
Is it a Cold, the Flu, or the ‘100-Day Cough’?
The nickname “100-Day Cough” comes from the infection’s grueling duration—it can last for weeks or even months.
Because early symptoms look exactly like a common cold, many Pennsylvanians are unknowingly spreading the bacteria before they are diagnosed. Here is how to tell the difference:
| Symptom | The ‘100-Day Cough’ (Pertussis) | 2026 Flu Strain |
| Cough Type | Severe hacking fits; may end with a “whoop” noise or vomiting. | Dry, steady cough. |
| Duration | Long (2 to 12 weeks). | Short (5 to 7 days). |
| Fever | Usually mild or no fever. | High fever (100°F+) comes on suddenly. |
| Key Sign | You feel fine between coughing fits. | You feel exhausted/achy all the time. |
Warning for Parents: Infants may not “whoop” or cough at all. Instead, they may struggle to breathe or turn blue (apnea). If you see this, seek emergency care immediately.
Why is This Happening Now?
Pennsylvania health experts point to “waning immunity” as the primary driver.
- Most adults received their Pertussis vaccine (Tdap) as children, but protection fades after about 10 years.
- The current surge is being driven largely by high school/college students and adults passing the infection to vulnerable family members.
The Action Plan: What to Do Today
- Check Your Records: If you haven’t had a Tdap booster in the last 10 years, you are likely unprotected. Pharmacies across Pennsylvania (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens) currently have stock available.
- Listen to the Cough: If you or your child has been coughing for more than 7 days—especially if it causes vomiting—ask your doctor specifically for a Pertussis test.
- The “Cocooning” Strategy: If you have a newborn or pregnant family member, ensure everyone who visits them is boosted. This is critical, as PA hospitals are seeing a rise in infant hospitalizations this month.
Stay safe, Pennsylvania. Share this alert with family members in the affected counties to help stop the spread.
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