MINNEAPOLIS — A rare disease that was eradicated in the United States more than two decades ago has now been identified in a Minneapolis school.
According to the Minnesota Health Department, a Minneapolis elementary school student has contracted measles.
Minneapolis Public Schools declined to say which school was affected but said families have been notified if their children may have been exposed.
As a precaution, unvaccinated children who may have been exposed to the virus should not attend school for 21 days.
“Ultimately, this underscores why school vaccination requirements are important for preventing measles outbreaks. They ensure that schools have timely and accurate information about which children have been vaccinated and often lead to higher vaccination rates,” said a spokesperson for the Minnesota Health Department of Health.
According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, there have been 59 cases of measles in Minnesota as of Sept. 24. That’s the most measles the state has seen since 2017, when there were 75 cases. For comparison, there were zero cases of measles reported in the state last year.
Of the 59 cases this year, all but one have been in people under 20. Twelve of those people have been hospitalized. Most of the cases have been reported in Hennepin County.
City data showed in August that 40% of Minneapolis public school students behind on vaccination schedules.
The CDC recommends that children receive two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine: one at 12-15 months and the second at 4-6 years of age. The second dose can also be given as early as one month after the first, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Measles is highly contagious. According to the CDC, the virus can remain active in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours.
