From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Wisconsin’s average vaccination rate for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has declined by roughly 5 percentage points over the past eight years, new data shows.
A Stanford University and NBC News study of county-level data shows the state’s MMR vaccination rate dropped to 84.2% in 2024 from 89.1% in 2016. That’s lower than most states in the Midwest. For example, almost every county in Illinois has a vaccination rate of more than 90%, though the statewide average there also fell to 96.8% from 98.5% during the same time.
The news comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today reported there have been 38 measles outbreaks nationwide this year, more than double the 16 outbreaks in 2024.
There have also been 1,491 individual cases of measles reported, 86% of which are related to outbreaks. Those are both increases from last year when there were 285 cases nationwide with 69% of them associated with outbreaks.
Wisconsin so far this year has had 36 confirmed measles cases and two hospitalizations, all of which have happened since July, according to Department of Health Services data.
All of Wisconsin’s measles cases this year occurred in Oconto County, which has a vaccination rate of 87%, down from 88% in 2016, but still above the statewide average. Half of the cases occurred in people 5-17 years old.
Wisconsin’s top five vaccination rates by county are:
Ashland – 94%;
Douglas and Oneida – 93%;
Dane – 92%; and
Buffalo, Kewaunee and Green – 91%.
Wisconsin’s bottom five vaccination rates by county are:
Milwaukee and Vernon – 73%;
Burnett – 70%;
Bayfield – 60%;
Iowa – 54%; and
Price – 52%.
See the new county-level data.
See the CDC data.
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