The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has confirmed measles cases in two unvaccinated siblings in the Twin Cities metro area.
The first case was in a 16-month-old toddler from Dakota County who recently traveled internationally.
The child, who had not received any doses of the MMR vaccine, developed symptoms after returning and was hospitalized earlier this month at a Hennepin County health care facility.
MDH tested and confirmed the measles infection on February 6. Shortly after, the toddler’s unvaccinated sibling also contracted measles, representing the second confirmed case in Minnesota this year.
MDH has issued a health advisory, urging providers to continue vaccination efforts and be vigilant for signs of measles.
Measles vaccination rates have dropped in Minnesota and across the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to MDH, only 78.7% of Minnesota two-year-olds have received one MMR dose by 24 months. In 2019, that figure was 83.8%.
The decline has raised concerns about outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles. In 2017, Minnesota had its largest measles outbreak since 1990, with over 90% of cases in unvaccinated children.