- Case Counts: Public Health Ontario. Query: Case counts of reportable diseases by public health unit and year. Toronto, ON: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; extracted on January 16, 2025.
- Population estimates: Statistics Canada 2014-2022, IntelliHEALTH Ontario, Ministry of Health, extracted on April 23, 2024.
- Population projections: Statistics Canada, 2023, IntelliHEALTH Ontario, Ministry of Health, extracted on April 23, 2024.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough, is a contagious infection of the lungs and airways. It is caused by the bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is a disease that happens year-round everywhere in the world. Pertussis causes serious coughing fits that can lead to choking or vomiting. The coughing can be so intense that a "whooping" sounds happens when you try to catch your next breath. Listen to the sound of whooping cough (pertussis) in a baby.
Local Information
2024 Statistics
Incidence rate is the number of new cases of disease divided by the number of persons at risk for the disease during a particular time period.
Cases:
49*
Incidence rate per 100,000 in 2024: 34.9
*Includes confirmed and probable cases in 2024.
Incidence Rate per 100,000 of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) by year
More Information about Pertussis
- Public Health Agency of Canada: English and Français
- Ministry of Health Fact Sheet: English and Français
If you think you have pertussis (whooping cough), contact your healthcare provider or call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000. Call ahead before going to a healthcare provider's office or hospital, so that they can prepare and protect other patients.
Report to the Health Unit via telephone by next working day at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229 if pertussis (whooping cough) is suspected or confirmed as per Ontario Regulation 135/18 and amendments under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O., c.H.7.
Should one go to childcare, school, or work if they have pertussis (whooping cough)?
Contact the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) program for specific recommendations. Stay home until you are no longer contagious. Exclusion may be required form work, school, childcare, or recreational/summer camp until an appropriate antibiotic has been taken for 5 full days. If no treatment is given, exclusion may be required for 3 weeks from the start of the coughing spell. Avoid group activities/social gathering and do not take public transit.
Note: Exclusion guidelines may differ for healthcare workers, those who work with vulnerable populations, childcare attendees or workers, and those who have direct contact with infants less than 1 year of age and pregnant individuals in their their trimester. Follow the direction of your healthcare provider, public health case manager, and/or occupational health at your workplace.
Pertussis (whooping cough) is preventable by vaccination. Check your vaccination records or call the Vaccine Preventable Diseases program at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5252 to book a vaccination appointment or if you have any vaccine-related questions.
Family members and caregivers of infants and young children should get vaccinated if they are not up to date with their pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine. The vaccine is only available as part of a vaccine that also has tetanus and diphtheria vaccine in it; it may also contain polio vaccine depending on the vaccine required. Everyone should receive 5 needles in childhood, 1 needle in their teens and 1 needle in adulthood. The pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine is given at:
- 2, 4, 6 and 18 months of age
- 4 to 6 years of age
- 14 to 16 years of age
- 1 dose in adulthood
- in each pregnancy, ideally between 27 to 32 weeks of gestation
See the Adacel® Information webpage.
Contact our Communicable Disease Control (CDC) program at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229, or by email at cdc@healthunit.ca for more information.
Last updated: February 2025, by CDC