Two more Hennepin County children have been confirmed positive for measles since Friday, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). This brings the total cases to 34.
32 of the cases are in Hennepin County, 1 of the cases is in Stearns County, 1 of the cases is in Ramsey County.
The cases are primarily in children ages 0 through 5 years with 29 of the cases are Somali Minnesotan.
32 of the cases are confirmed to be unvaccinated and 1 of the cases had 1 MMR.
Related: ‘We expect this measles outbreak to grow substantially’: CIDRAP’s Osterholm
Measles, also called rubeola, is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. Because of high immunization levels, measles is no longer common in the United States.
Symptoms ( rash, fever, cough) appear about eight to 12 days after a person is exposed to measles. The first symptom is usually fever. The rash usually appears two to three days after the fever begins and lasts five to six days. The rash begins at the hairline, moves to the face and upper neck and then down the body.
Measles is spread through the air when people who have it breathe and cough. It is highly contagious.
Many people with measles have complications like diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, or acute encephalitis (a brain infection that can lead to permanent brain damage). Complications are more common in children under 5 years of age and adults older than 20.
Measles can be a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death.
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