Minnesota health officials have issued an urgent alert after an unvaccinated child with measles visited the Mall of America while contagious. The child, hailing from Dakota County, spent time at the mall’s theme park on May 24 from 5 pm to 9 pm. During this 4-hour period, thousands of visitors might have been exposed to this highly infectious viral illness.
Health authorities are particularly concerned because the source of the child’s infection is still unknown. Jessica Hancock-Allen, the director of Minnesota’s infectious disease division, described this situation as “worrying,” indicating a potential for community spread.
Officials from Minnesota have also advised visitors who were at the Mall of America during the exposure timeframe. They have encouraged those patrons to keep an eye out for symptoms until June 14. Unvaccinated individuals or those who have never had measles are at the greatest risk of contracting the disease. These groups are also more susceptible to severe complications resulting from this illness. The mall has put in place enhanced sanitation measures and is collaborating with health officials on contact tracing.
Minnesota Confirms New Measles Cases
Minnesota reported two more cases of measles in early June, raising the total number of confirmed infections in the state for 2025 to 4. The first case involves an unvaccinated child at the Mall of America, while the second case concerns an adult from Washington County. This adult contracted measles during domestic air travel outside of Minnesota, and their vaccination status remains unknown.
