Minnesota: Pertussis cases increasing, Three additional cases of measles
Pertussis
In a follow-up on the pertussis situation in Minnesota, since the beginning of the year and through May 23, the Minnesota Department of Health reports 73 cases of whooping cough.
Minnesota is seeing an increase in pertussis cases, especially in the seven-county metro area. The median age of the cases to date in Minnesota is 16 years old (range 4 months to 80 years).
Reports of pertussis are on the rise, but it is often underrecognized due to the broad range in clinical presentation, as well as overlap in symptoms with other respiratory illnesses. Health providers are reminded to consider testing for pertussis in patients with a persistent or worsening cough of unknown etiology that lasts for more than seven days, or any cough duration if the patient has had close contact with a known case of pertussis.
Measles
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has identified three cases of measles in the metro area. The cases are unvaccinated siblings who had recent international travel. All three cases required hospitalization for treatment of multiple gastrointestinal co-infections.
For 2024, this recent cluster brings the total number of measles cases in Minnesota to six. The most recent cases are not related to those from February. The United States is also seeing an elevated number of cases with over 130 cases reported nationally.
Recent national and international trends show increased cases of measles coupled with decreased rates of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination are leaving communities at high risk for measles infection and potential outbreaks. This risk will increase with the summer travel season approaching.