The Minnesota Department of Health has recorded 68 confirmed cases of measles, most of them in unvaccinated pre-school children. The outbreak will soon exceed last year's total of 70 cases for the entire United States. Health officials say there have been at least 8,250 exposures in day-care centers, schools, hospitals and clinics.
The outbreak started in April in the Somali-American community, which has been targeted by the anti-vaccine movement. It has now spread beyond the Somali community in Minnesota, largely in Hennepin County, to include white Hispanic and non-Hispanic residents.
Health officials and religious leaders fear the spread of the highly contagious disease will accelerate during Ramadan, which begins Friday night and brings people together for prayers and festivities. Imams are urging families to vaccinate their children, tying it to religious obligations to protect the community.
| |  | | Democracy Dies in Darkness | | | | | | Health Alert | Fri., May. 26, 2017 1:12 p.m. | | | | | | Imams take on anti-vaccine movement during Ramadan amid fears a measles outbreak will spread | The Minnesota Department of Health has recorded 68 confirmed cases of measles, most of them in unvaccinated pre-school children. The outbreak will soon exceed last year's total of 70 cases for the entire United States. Health officials say there have been at least 8,250 exposures in day-care centers, schools, hospitals and clinics.
The outbreak started in April in the Somali-American community, which has been targeted by the anti-vaccine movement. It has now spread beyond the Somali community in Minnesota, largely in Hennepin County, to include white Hispanic and non-Hispanic residents.
Health officials and religious leaders fear the spread of the highly contagious disease will accelerate during Ramadan, which begins Friday night and brings people together for prayers and festivities. Imams are urging families to vaccinate their children, tying it to religious obligations to protect the community. | | Read more » | | | |
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