Tracking measles in Minnesota

The Mighty 790 KFGO reported that among the 5,412 confirmed measles cases in the United States in 2026, 5,394 cases were reported by 47 jurisdictions including Minnesota and North Dakota. There were 43 new outbreaks reported in 2026, with 96% of confirmed cases being outbreak-associated, comprising 3,831 cases from outbreaks starting in 2026 and 1,385 from outbreaks starting in 2025. For comparison, 2,289 confirmed measles cases were reported for the full year of 2025 across 45 jurisdictions, with 48 outbreaks reported and 90% of confirmed cases outbreak-associated. In 2024, 16 outbreaks were reported with 69% of cases outbreak-associated. MPR News noted that a doctor on the front lines of the Todd County measles outbreak stated it could overwhelm the health system. kare11.com reported that Minnesota's kindergarten MMR rates keep falling, leaving many counties open to measles outbreaks. The Mighty 790 KFGO stated that vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners has decreased from 95.2% during the 2019-2020 school year to 92.4% in the 2025-2026 school year. This decline leaves approximately 280,000 kindergartners at risk during the 2025-2026 school year. When more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most people are protected through community immunity, but local coverage rates vary considerably and unvaccinated pockets can exist. State, local, tribal, and territorial health departments lead measles case and outbreak investigations, and notify the CDC of cases in their jurisdictions. Measles is very contagious, spreading through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. While measles has been eliminated in the U.S. since 2000, it remains common globally and is brought into the country annually by travelers who get infected abroad. A measles outbreak is defined as 3 or more related cases, and most U.S. outbreaks are small, comprising 6 people or fewer, usually within a household. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, while 1 dose is 93% effective. Breakthrough infections can occur, accounting for approximately 10% of all measles infections, which is consistent with previous years. Before the measles vaccine was introduced, an estimated 48,000 people were hospitalized and 400 to 500 people died annually in the United States.