The measles outbreak in southeastern Minnesota keeps spreading. Fillmore County Public Health confirmed six cases of the highly infectious disease, double the number reported just a week ago. The first case was confirmed September 17, and the count has climbed since.
Officials say all six cases are connected and involve unvaccinated people. More than 30 measles cases have been confirmed in Minnesota over the past year, including three reported in Olmsted County last October.
Fillmore County health officials urge residents to watch for measles symptoms, especially the unvaccinated: cough, fever, runny nose, watery or red eyes, and a full-body rash that spreads from the head down to the toes.
Anyone developing symptoms should contact Fillmore County Public Health or their health care provider for instructions before seeking testing — not walk straight into a clinic, where the virus could spread through the waiting room. The county also runs a measles hotline at 507-765-2642, where callers can leave a message.
Minnesota is one piece of a national measles map. In its October 9 update, the CDC reported 4,080 measles cases in the US as of October 8 — up 193 cases week over week, a 5.0% increase, slightly slower than the previous week's 6.2% rise.
The agency says cases have been reported by 47 jurisdictions, plus 18 among international visitors to the United States. There have been 42 new outbreaks in 2026, and 96% of confirmed cases are outbreak-associated — 2,513 from outbreaks that began in 2026 and 1,384 from outbreaks that began in 2025.
Like the recent clusters in New York and Pennsylvania, the common thread in Minnesota is "unvaccinated." The CDC's recommendation is unchanged: two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, the first at 12 to 15 months of age and the second between ages 4 and 6.
Measles spreads through coughing and sneezing and is highly contagious. The point CDC and local health departments keep repeating: vaccines protect individuals and build the herd-immunity barrier that shields communities.
Fillmore County health officials say they will continue tracing close contacts of the cases and are urging residents to check their own and their children's vaccination records and catch up on any missed doses. The guidance for anyone with symptoms is unchanged: call first, then follow instructions on getting tested.
The national growth rate eased slightly this week, but 42 new outbreaks in 2026 show transmission chains are still unbroken. For families, checking a child's MMR record is the most practical step right now.