Measles case confirmed at Minneapolis elementary school

MINNEAPOLIS — A typically rare disease that was declared eliminated in the United States over two decades ago is now confirmed inside a Minneapolis school.

The Minnesota Health Department says a Minneapolis elementary school student caught measles.

Minneapolis Public Schools would not clarify which school was affected but said families were notified if their kids may have been exposed.

As a precaution, unvaccinated children who may have been exposed have to be out of school for 21 days.

“Ultimately, this underscores why school immunization requirements are important for preventing measles outbreaks because they ensure that schools have timely and accurate information about which children are immunized and often lead to higher immunization rates,” a spokesperson for the Minnesota Health Department of Health said.

As of Sept. 24, there have been 59 cases of measles in Minnesota, according to the health department. That is the most measles cases the state has seen since 2017, when there were 75 cases. For comparison, there were zero measles cases reported in the state last year.

Of the 59 cases this year, all but one occurred in people under 20 years of age. Twelve of those people were hospitalized. A majority of the cases were reported in Hennepin County.

In August, city data showed that 40% of Minneapolis Public Schools students are behind on vaccine schedules.

“For me it’s very concerning, because we do have large pockets of unvaccinated children, in both urban and rural areas,” said Dr. Stacene Maroushek, pediatric infectious disease specialist with Hennepin Healthcare.    

Measles is spreading primarily within Minnesota’s Somali community. Minnesota health officials said vaccination rates within the community have plummeted over the past 10 to 15 years.

“Don’t dismiss the fear, but at the same time, correct the misinformation,” said Saed Yusuf, a clinical care supervisor for Hennepin Healthcare.
    
Yusuf, who is Somali American, said misinformation has spread through word of mouth, amid unfounded reports that connect the disease’s vaccine with autism.
    
Medical professionals say it’s about dispelling fear with facts, but that is easier said than done.

“It’s very hard to argue with emotion, even if you have good facts,” said Maroushek.

The CDC recommends children get two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination: one at 12-15 months and the second at 4-6 years of age. The second dose may also be given as soon as a month after the first, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Measles is highly contagious. The CDC says the virus can remain active in the air and on surfaces for two hours.