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Whooping cough, measles spreading at fastest rate in years

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Published  October 10, 2024 7:10pm CDT
Health
FOX 9

Whooping cough, measles put MN hospitals on alert

Doctors are raising the alarm over a rise in measles and whooping cough cases throughout Minnesota. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the full story.

The Brief 

    • Whooping cough and measles are spreading in Minnesota at rates faster than what's been seen in several years.
    • Doctors are on alert and are especially concerned for younger patients. The viruses can be especially severe and even deadly for young children, elderly patients, and people with compromised immune systems.
    • Decreasing vaccination rates are likely driving higher infection rates, according to doctors.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A couple of contagious viruses are infecting more people in Minnesota than they have in years. Whooping cough and measles are spreading, and hospitals are on alert.

The spread of whooping cough includes schools

The signature whooping cough of a pertussis infection can last for months.

And in Minnesota, 826 people have had it in 2024, more than in any full year since 2016.

Patients include students at schools in Minnetonka and Rochester.

They've noticed an uptick in cases recently at the University of Minnesota as well, although they've confirmed fewer than ten.

Administrators say not a lot of people are very familiar with pertussis.

"Knowing this general lack of detailed knowledge, coupled with the increase of cases throughout the metro area, our on-campus health clinic (Boynton Health) will be sending a message about the increased in metro-area cases, symptoms to watch for (i.e., cough that does not resolve), and steps people should take if they believe they may have pertussis," said the university’s director of public relations, Jake Ricker.

Doctors looking for symptoms, especially in young patients

Doctors are especially concerned when younger patients show symptoms because it can be deadly.

"Pediatricians know that this is circulating," said Dr. Liz Placzek, a pediatrician at Children's Minnesota. "And so we are extra cautious, really looking at our patients very closely to see, ‘Could you have these?’ and testing for it when it's appropriate."

The same is true of measles.

Although the number of confirmed infections is much smaller at 52, it’s a big concern.

The measles virus is highly contagious and it can cause complications severe enough that about one in four measles patients will end up in the hospital.

Dipping vaccination rate, increasing infection rate

"Vaccines are highly effective against preventing this disease and those complications," said Dr. Placzek.

But Minnesota vaccination rates have dipped since the COVID pandemic.

The Department of Health says 77% of kids born in 2021 are up-to-date on whooping cough vaccination and 82% on measles, both falling significantly over the last decade.

Alina’s Dr. Eric Barth says he’s noticing some vaccine hesitancy.

Victims of vaccine success?

"We're a victim of our own success, meaning that we've been so successful in using immunizations to protect children that parents aren't aware that these illnesses are still out there," he said.

Almost none of the Minnesota measles cases are among vaccinated people.

That vaccine lasts a lifetime.

The pertussis vaccine requires a booster every ten years, so there are some cases of vaccinated people getting sick.