Three confirmed cases of whooping cough at Blair Middle School have Pasadena parents on alert, after public health officials on Tuesday said the highly contagious illness had turned up on campus. The Pasadena Unified School District and city health staff have notified families, begun contact tracing and told close contacts to keep a close eye out for symptoms while they work to keep the infection from spreading further.
The Blair cluster is part of an unusually busy pertussis season in the city. Pasadena has recorded 11 confirmed cases of whooping cough so far in 2026, roughly four times the city's typical annual total of about three, and health staff have pushed out fresh guidance to clinicians and schools, according to Pasadena Now. The uptick follows a separate outbreak in late April at Don Benito Fundamental School that involved four confirmed cases, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
What officials are doing
The Pasadena Public Health Department says it is working with the Pasadena Unified School District to identify close contacts, notify affected families and advise clinicians on testing and treatment, per a city health notice from the City of Pasadena Public Health Department. PPHD recommends that suspected cases get a nasal PCR swab for confirmation and notes that starting antibiotics early can help prevent further spread; a five-day course of azithromycin is commonly used. The department also offers Tdap vaccine at its immunization clinic on Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., by appointment or walk-in, and most private insurance plans cover the vaccine, according to the City of Pasadena Public Health Department.
When to call the doctor
Pertussis often masquerades as a run-of-the-mill cold at first, with sneezing, runny nose and a mild cough, before escalating into more severe coughing fits over one to two weeks. Public health guidance notes that symptoms typically show up five to 21 days after exposure. Infants are at the highest risk for serious illness and can have atypical symptoms, which is why the California Department of Public Health urges pregnant people and caregivers to get a Tdap booster during each pregnancy and to make sure children are up to date on their DTaP series, according to the California Department of Public Health.
If a persistent cough develops, clinicians can order a PCR nasal swab to check for pertussis and prescribe antibiotics such as azithromycin when indicated. Parents with concerns are encouraged to call Pasadena's City Service Center or their child's healthcare provider for advice and information on where to get tested.
