Whooping cough cases are soaring to new heights in Canada. What's behind the sudden spike?

Canada is seeing more than 12,000 whooping cough infections this year, far more than usual. Scientists say the sudden spike echoes a trend seen around the world. So what's causing such a massive surge in this potentially-deadly bacterial infection?

Whooping cough cases are soaring to new heights in Canada. What's behind the sudden spike?
An electron microscope image of the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, which causes whooping cough.

Canada is seeing more than 12,000 whooping cough infections this year, far more than usual. Scientists say the sudden spike echoes a trend seen around the world. So what's causing such a massive surge in this potentially-deadly bacterial infection?