Whooping cough is seen regularly in the Netherlands among people of all ages. There is a peak in reported cases of whooping cough about every 2 to 4 years. Doctors and laboratory managers notify the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs) if patients have whooping cough. The GGDs notify RIVM of these reported cases. This page presents the latest figures on whooping cough in the Netherlands.
Update 20 May 2026: reported cases of adults and babies with whooping cough is still low
Reported cases of whooping cough are low right now. Since the last update in February 2026, about 5 cases of whooping cough were reported every week. The total number of reported cases involving people who contracted whooping cough in 2026 is now 65. This includes 5 babies.
The reported whooping cough cases came in 2026 from various municipalities across the country. Many people had whooping cough during the 2024 outbreak and therefore had temporary protection against a new infection. As a result, there are probably few people with whooping cough now.
Hospital admissions
In 2026, a total of 8 reports were received of people with whooping cough who were admitted to hospital in the Netherlands. This includes 1 baby.
Mortality due to whooping cough
There have been no reports yet in 2026 of patients who died of whooping cough.
Protection resulting from vaccination
The vaccination given during pregnancy offers very effective protection against whooping cough in babies aged 0–2 months (88–93%). Estimated effectiveness is between 88% and 93%. In the group of babies aged 0–2 months reported to have whooping cough in 2024-2026 (with known vaccination details), 82% of the mothers had not been vaccinated. The vaccinations that a baby receives over the course of their first year also offer very effective protection against whooping cough. 80% of the babies aged 2 months and older reported to have whooping cough in 2024-2025 (with known vaccination details) were unvaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated.
Current figures
The figures below present information about trends in reported cases of whooping cough, hospital admissions and deaths. Numbers for the past few months are not yet complete. This is because reports are sometimes received later on. RIVM will be posting the next update on whooping cough in August 2026.
Reported cases of whooping cough by month
The chart below shows the monthly number of people with whooping cough reported in the Netherlands since 2012. There were very few reported cases of whooping cough during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is likely that the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 also kept the whooping cough bacteria from spreading. As a result, few people built up protection against whooping cough during that period. The latest outbreak of whooping cough was in 2024, which is clearly visible in this figure. In 2025, the number of reports was very low
Numbers for the past few months are not yet complete. This is because many reports are received later.
{#kinkhoest::20260518-kinkhoest-meldingen-per-maand-2012-2026}
Reported cases of whooping cough among infants by month
The chart below shows the monthly number of reported cases of whooping cough among infants in the Netherlands since 2012. This figure also clearly shows the peak of 2024.
{#kinkhoest::20260518-meldingen-van-babys-met-kinkhoest-2012-2026}
Reported cases of whooping cough by year
The chart below shows the total annual number of reported cases of whooping cough in the Netherlands since 2004.
{#kinkhoest::20260518-kinkhoest-meldingen-per-jaar-2004-2026}
Reported cases of whooping cough by age group
The charts below show the annual number of people with whooping cough reported in the Netherlands by age group since 2004. Whooping cough occurs in all age groups. There are more reported cases of whooping cough in age groups containing many people, such as people aged 20–59 years.
{#kinkhoest::20260518-aantal-meldingen-kinkhoest-2026}
Reported cases of whooping cough per 100,000 people by age group
The chart below shows the annual number of people with whooping cough reported in the Netherlands per 100,000 people and by age group since 2004. This clearly shows that reported cases of whooping cough in most years were highest in the age group of infants aged 0–5 months, compared to the other age groups.
{#kinkhoest::20260518-aantal-meldingen-van-kinkhoest-per-100k}
Reported cases of whooping cough by municipality
The map below shows reported cases of whooping cough per 10,000 inhabitants by Dutch municipality, in the current calendar year.
{#kinkhoest::20260518-meldingen-van-kinkhoest-onder-de-totale-bevolking-2026}
Numbers for the past year are not yet complete.
Hospital admissions of people with whooping cough
The chart below shows hospital admissions due to whooping cough (top) and hospital admissions due to whooping cough as a percentage of the reported cases of whooping cough (bottom), by age group in the current calendar year. The number of reports and hospital admissions so far is very low in 2026.
{#kinkhoest::20260518-split-ziekenhuisopnames-voor-kinkhoest-leeftijdscategorie-huidigjaar-2026}
Mortality due to whooping cough
Before vaccination against whooping cough was introduced in 1957, about 200 Dutch children died each year from the disease. After whooping cough vaccination was introduced in the Netherlands, deaths caused by whooping cough fell sharply, dropping to 0 people annually since 1964, with the exception of the year 2024, in which 10 people died.
In 2026, there have been no reports to date at the RIVM of people who have died of whooping cough.
Sterfte door kinkhoest
{#kinkhoest::20260223-kinkhoeststerfte-per-jaar-1905-1956}
{#kinkhoest::20260518-kinkhoeststerfte-per-jaar-1957-2026}