Buenos Aires Pertussis Outbreak Reveals Under-Vaccinations

A pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak has once again been reported in the Argentine Republic.

As of mid-October, data up to Epidemiological Week 41 confirm that the Argentine health ministry reported 333 cases of whooping cough in the country. The confirmed cases for the year are distributed across 17 jurisdictions.

The region with the highest number of cases is the Central Region, where 260 cases were reported, of which 167 correspond to the province of Buenos Aires and 50 to the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

The Southern Region follows, with 58 cases registered within the framework of the outbreak currently affecting the city of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego.

The highest cumulative incidence during the 2025 outbreak has been recorded in Tierra del Fuego, which is located in the southern area.

This number exceeds the confirmed cases reported for the same period in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Given its high contagiousness, the Ministry of Health is currently working with provincial authorities to ensure timely care for people with acute respiratory illness symptoms and their close contacts, to limit the spread of the disease.

The Ministry says it is essential to keep in mind that vaccination is the primary prevention strategy and one of the most effective interventions for reducing morbidity and mortality in infants and other vulnerable groups.

Pertussis is included in Argentina's National Immunization Schedule.

As of October 21, 2025, the U.S. CDC states international travelers should check the vaccines and medicines list and visit their healthcare provider at least a month before visiting Argentina, a country with about 45 million residents, which is located in the southern area of South America.