Black businesswoman coughing into elbow while wearing protective face mask and working in the office.


Whooping Cough cases are on the rise across the U.S. ABC News reports that current case counts are about 25,000, indicating levels are as elevated, if not more so, to those in 2024. A contagious disease, UC Health shares that around 80 percent of individuals are susceptible to contracting it after encountering an infected individual. Amid anticipated holiday travel and gatherings, it remains imperative that facilities mitigate the outbreak through vigilant infection control and prevention processes.

Facilities can protect the public from spreading the virulent disease through evidence-based protocols. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends limiting crowded communal spaces, inspecting indoor air quality (IAQ), and educating staff on proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and the disease itself. Because Pertussis—the contagious bacteria known as whooping cough—is an airborne illness, an indoor space’s first line of defense is quality ventilation, filtration, and air treatment systems, as affirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). New advancements in the IAQ sector, such as the smart sensors Forbes describes, are avenues to explore to improve IAQ efficacy when combatting contagions.

Health experts correlate the increased caseloads to low vaccination rates, PolitiFact states. The bacteria is potent as it releases toxins within the upper respiratory system, resulting in symptoms like difficulty breathing and uncontrolled coughing fits, MSN lists. Informing staff on how whooping cough manifests and the preventative measures they can take will support their self-management, thereby lowering the risk of sickness-related employee absences.