Minnesota is seeing an increase in measles cases, with Dakota County reporting three new infections, bringing the state total to 20.
State health officials say the latest cases involve unvaccinated children who likely contracted the virus from an unvaccinated adult.
The CDC reports an average of 27 new measles cases each week nationwide since late August, with more than 1,500 cases so far this year — the highest annual total since measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
Cases have been reported in 41 states and the District of Columbia. The cases have resulted in the deaths of at least three people and have left 193 hospitalized. An alarming 92% of the cases were found in unvaccinated individuals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Health officials continue to advocate for the MMR vaccine as the most effective means to combat the deadly and highly contagious virus. The shots are reported to be 97% effective, preventing illness and further spread of the disease.
The CDC reported that only 8% of those with confirmed cases had a known measles vaccine.
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Children are routinely vaccinated for measles at 12 to 15 months and again at 4 to 6 years of age — before going to kindergarten — but children as young as 6 months old can receive the measles vaccine if they are at risk.
According to the CDC, measles causes the following symptoms:
- Pneumonia
- Brain Damage
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Diarrhea
- Premature birth or low-birthweight baby (in unvaccinated pregnant women who contract measles during pregnancy)
- Measles infection leads to loss of immunity to other deadly diseases
The World Health Organization says that herd immunity against measles can be reached when a community achieves a 95% vaccination rate. U.S. health officials estimate that 92.7% of kindergarten students were vaccinated last school year.
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