Minnesota reports 2nd measles case as health officials urge vaccinations

(FOX 9) - Minnesota has reported a second measles case this year, as health officials are urging parents to get their children vaccinated amid a nationwide outbreak.

Measles cases in Minnesota

What we know:

Minnesota health officials say the new case involves an infant who was diagnosed while in another country. Health officials said the child is too young to receive the MMR vaccine.

"The child was likely infectious while abroad, but was not infectious when they returned to Minnesota, so no exposures occurred in Minnesota," a Minnesota Department of Health spokesperson said.

The backstory:

Last year, Minnesota saw its most measles cases in seven years, with the state reporting 70 cases. Since 2010, the only time the state saw more cases was in 2017, when the state reported 75.

Nationwide measles outbreaks

Big picture view:

Nationwide, measles outbreaks have made headlines, as Texas has seen two deaths related to the illness.

There were 800 cases nationwide as of last week, already more than double the count in 2024, with the majority being reported in west Texas, where the case count is nearing 600.

Two unvaccinated children have died from measles-related illnesses there and an adult in New Mexico, who also wasn't vaccinated, has also died from a measles-related illness.

Eight states now have measles outbreaks – meaning at least three cases.

What you can do:

Health officials recommend children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine: the first between 12 and 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

The MMR vaccine is safe and any risks of complications from the vaccine are greatly outweighed by the risks of contracting measles itself.

As of the 2023-24 school year, only 87 percent of kindergartens in Minnesota had gotten the MMR vaccine. That is the fourth-worst percentage in the country, behind Wisconsin (84.8%), Alaska (84.3%), and Idaho (79.6%).