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South Dakota watching Minnesota measles

UNDATED (KELO AM) As Minnesota's measles outbreak nears 50 cases, South Dakotans are being urged to make sure their shots are up to date.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Lon Kightlinger says symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and pinkeye, followed by a rash three to five days later.

"Being a next door neighbor to Minnesota, we are reminding our physicians and our families to be on the lookout for measles and more importantly to check your vaccination record," says Kightlinger.

Kightlinger says children should receive the measles vaccination twice: the first dose at 12 months and the second between four and six years old. He says those who have received two doses of measles vaccine or were born before 1957 are considered immune to the disease.

South Dakota reported its last measles cases in late 2014 when an outbreak centered in Mitchell sickened 10 state residents and four out-of-state residents. Prior to that outbreak, it had been 17 years since South Dakota reported a measles case. 

Minnesota is suffering its worst measles outbreak in nearly 30 years. Most of the cases are unvaccinated children of Somali families living in the Twin Cities area.

(J.P. Skelly, KORN News Radio 1490, Mitchell, contributed to this story)

 

 


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