Officials: Measles case confirmed in Hennepin County child

Published 10:24 pm Tuesday, August 7, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota health officials said measles has been diagnosed in a 5-year-old child who lives in Hennepin County.

The state Health Department said Tuesday the child became ill in early August shortly after returning from traveling to a region where measles is common. The child likely was infectious from July 30 through Aug. 7.

Health officials said the child was not vaccinated against measles and was hospitalized.

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Last year, Minnesota reported its largest measles outbreak since 1990, with 75 cases confirmed between April and August 2017. Of those cases, 21 were hospitalized and 91 percent were not vaccinated.

The department’s infectious disease division director, Kris Ehresmann, said Minnesota still has pockets with low vaccination rates. She said Minnesota remains at risk as long as there is measles somewhere in the world.