U.S. Somali Community Facing Huge Measles Outbreak

On Monday afternoon the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced that there are now 48 confirmed cases of measles in the state, the highest level in more than twenty years.

This represents an increase of four cases since the last report three days ago on Friday. The first case was diagnosed on April 11.

The outbreak has not expanded beyond the three counties where cases were previously confirmed.

Forty-five cases have been confirmed in Hennepin County, two in Ramsey County, and one in Crow Wing County.

Forty-five cases have been “confirmed to be unvaccinated. . . one had one dose of MMR [and] two had two doses of MMR,” according to MDH.

One of the new cases reported over the weekend is an adult, bringing the total number of cases confirmed in adults to two. The remaining 46 cases are “in children ages 0 through 10 years.”

As before, the majority of the cases are within the Somali community. “41 of the cases are Somali Minnesotan,” the MDH reports.

Of the 48 cases, “41 of the cases are Somali Minnesotan.”

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