MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW)
Measles was once a disease thought to be all but eradicated in the United States, but it has begun to reassert itself. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports seven outbreaks of measles so far in 2024. An “outbreak” is defined as three or more related measles cases in a defined geographic location.
These seven outbreaks have been spread across twenty jurisdictions in the United States. The number of measles cases in 2024 is already more than double the number of cases for all of 2023. The CDC reports that 45% of the cases are in children under 5 years old while 23% occur in people ages 5-19. The CDC further reports that 81% of the cases are in people who have not been vaccinated for measles and most of the rest occur in children who received the first inoculation but had not yet received their second shot.
Thus far in 2024, South Dakota has had no active cases of measles reported, although Minnesota has experienced an outbreak. The South Dakota Department of Health is asking medical providers to be alert for the introduction of measles into South Dakota from travelers or immigrants.