(CBS News) – The U.S. confirmed at least a dozen deaths from whooping cough last year, according to preliminary figures released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That marks the most fatalities from the bacterial infection since a 2017 surge of the illness, which is also known as pertussis.

Over the last month, pertussis infections have been rising again. While cases reported to the CDC by health departments dipped over the winter holidays, weekly infections have accelerated for a month straight since then. (Read More)