Whooping cough confirmed in Union County, health officials warn families

Families with infants in Union County should treat the county’s confirmed pertussis case as an immediate warning. The Center for Human Development, Union County’s local public health provider in La Grande, confirmed the illness on Friday, May 22, and said the danger is greatest for babies, who do not begin their own whooping cough vaccines until age 2 months.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, often begins like a common cold. Sneezing, a runny nose, a low-grade fever and a mild cough can appear first, then the illness can worsen after one or two weeks into long coughing fits that may last six weeks or longer. The coughing can end in the familiar whoop as a child struggles to catch a breath. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says those fits usually last one to six weeks, but can stretch as long as 10 weeks.

Health officials say the best protection is vaccination. CHD urged residents to stay current on Tdap and DTaP, the vaccines that protect against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough, and said pregnant women should receive Tdap during every pregnancy, ideally in the third trimester. That extra dose helps pass antibodies to newborns before they are old enough for their own shots. People who will spend time around infants should also make sure their vaccinations are current.

CHD said it offers Tdap, DTaP and MMR vaccines at a Friday walk-in clinic from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with no appointment needed. Residents who need another time can call to schedule. The agency, which also provides communicable disease prevention and treatment, immunizations, WIC, family planning and home visiting, is trying to make it easier for Union County families to get protected before coughs spread through schools, day cares and homes with babies.

The alert comes as Oregon continues to face a severe pertussis surge. The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,475 confirmed cases in 2025, topping the previous annual record of 1,420 set in 1950, and said the outbreak began in spring 2024. State officials also reported one pertussis death in 2025. OHA said only 69% of pregnant people received Tdap in 2024, down from 72% in 2020, and said five Oregon infants died of pertussis from 2003 to 2015. Measles is also still circulating in Oregon, adding to the pressure on families to keep vaccinations current.