Minnesota has seen 5 measles cases so far in 2026

Measles cases in the U.S. are rising at the fastest rate in a generation, and the trend now includes five cases in Minnesota since the start of the new year.

The Minnesota Department of Health said the five cases occurred in unvaccinated children and adults in the Twin Cities area. Four of the cases are linked, the department said, and all were infected within the United States.

Nationwide, doctors have diagnosed nearly 1,000 cases of measles in 2026. Last year, there were 2,281 cases total, with three deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No deaths have been reported so far this year.

In Minnesota, 26 cases were reported last year.

The CDC classifies measles as one of the most contagious infectious diseases. It can lead to severe lung and brain infections, cognitive issues, hearing loss and even death. Experts say getting vaccinated is the best protection against the disease — 94% of U.S. cases this year have occurred in unvaccinated people, according to the CDC.

Officials recommend children receive two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine — the first at 12 to 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.  

Health experts blame declining vaccination rates for increases in preventable diseases like measles. During the 2019-2020 school year, 95.2% of kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles. In 2021-2022, that figutre dropped to 93%, and again to 92.7% in 2023-2024.