SD DOH confirms six new cases of measles in Lincoln county

The South Dakota Department of Health now reports six new cases of measles in South Dakota, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases up to 12. Eight of those 12 cases are in Lincoln County with the four others being west river in Meade and Pennington Counties. All 12 cases were either individuals who were unvaccinated or uncertain of their vaccination status. The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports measles cases across the United States have reached their highest levels since 1992 with at least 1,289 cases reported in 39 states. The disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, but due to vaccine skepticism, vaccination rates have been falling in recent years. According to the CDC Measles is one of the most cummnicable diseases known to man.