Three cases of measles have been identified in Hennepin County residents, two of the patients are siblings, while the third child has been in close contact with other two, according to Minnesota health officials.

Image/geralt
Image/geralt

At least two of the patients are 2-year-old Somali Minnesotans and all three children were not vaccinated. There was no travel history noted.

Rash onset of the first case occurred on April 8, 2017. The cases are considered to be infectious from April 4 through April 14, 2017.

Known exposures from these cases occurred at a single health care facility (Children’s hospital in Minneapolis), a child care center and apartment complexes in Hennepin County. Individuals known to be exposed are being notified and offered post-exposure prophylaxis, if indicated.

Measles, also called rubeola, is a very contagious viral infection. Measles spreads when a person infected with measles virus breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The virus can still be on surfaces and in the air up to 2 hours after that person is gone from a room. Measles still spreads in some parts of the world.

It usually takes 10 to 14 days for someone who has caught measles to start showing symptoms.

Measles usually begins with a high fever, runny nose, cough and sore red eyes, followed by a rash starting behind the ears and spreading to the body a few days later. One in three people with measles will develop complications, such as ear infections, pneumonia, diarrhea or rarely inflammation of the brain.

Measles is preventable through vaccination.

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