WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Minnesota Department of Health said the measles outbreak in Fillmore County, in southeastern Minnesota, has grown to six cases, doubling since the beginning of the month.
The update comes as the state deals with two separate measles outbreaks that began in mid-September in rural Fillmore and Todd counties.
Minnesota has recorded 42 measles cases so far in 2026, already exceeding the 26 cases reported in 2025. In 2024, the state recorded 70 cases, most of which affected unvaccinated Somali American children in the Twin Cities.
'Given how contagious measles is, the case count will very likely grow in the days and weeks ahead,' the health department stated.
According to the health department, all people infected in the recent outbreaks were unvaccinated.
Children in Minnesota are required to receive two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine before entering kindergarten, unless their families obtain an exemption.
However, the number of kindergartners whose families have claimed non-medical exemptions from vaccination has increased sharply since 2020, reflecting growing concerns about vaccines.
During the 2025-2026 school year, 6.8% of kindergartners in Minnesota had non-medical exemptions, compared with the national average of 4%, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nationwide, the U.S. has recorded more than 4,000 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026.
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