Pasadena Confirms 3 Blair Cases, Pushing 2026 Whooping Cough Total to 11

5 articles · Updated · Pasadena Now · May 19

Three confirmed pertussis cases at Blair Middle School have made it the second Pasadena school hit within weeks, signaling faster-than-usual spread across the city.
Eleven cases have been confirmed in Pasadena since January—nearly four times its typical annual total of about three—even as U.S. pertussis cases have declined in 2026 after a November 2024 peak.
Four cases were already confirmed at Don Benito Fundamental School on April 29, and Pasadena Public Health issued a clinician advisory on May 11 citing a significant community increase.
Close contacts at Blair have been notified and told about testing, treatment and stay-home rules; exposed people should monitor for symptoms for 21 days.
Vaccination remains the main defense, with officials urging families to keep DTaP and Tdap shots current, especially for children, pregnant people and caregivers of infants.

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