Minnesota May See End To Measles Outbreak This Month

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota health officials may call an end to the state’s measles outbreak if no new cases arise by the end of the month.

Minnesota Public Radio reports the number of cases in the state has held steady at nearly 80 for nearly one month. Health officials must wait until July 29, when two incubation periods pass without any new cases, before declaring the outbreak over.

Kris Ehresmann directs the infectious disease division at the Minnesota Department of Health. She says everyone should remain vigilant because there’s an ongoing potential the outbreak could continue.

The Somali community has been hardest hit during the outbreak. The health department normally documents about 30 measles vaccinations a week among this group. That number rose to about 500 a week during the outbreak’s peak.