Vials of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are displayed on a counter at a Walgreens Pharmacy on January 26, 2015 | Photo by Illustration Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. This week: Measles in Hennepin County; Minnesota Republican voters’ biggest concerns; government receipts come in above estimates (yet again); and some good news (finally) on drug overdoses.
Measles sicken dozens in Hennepin County
At least 51 people have been sickened by measles in Minnesota since May, with nearly one quarter of them ending up hospitalized, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Nearly all the cases are in Hennepin County, and MPR News reports that most are among unvaccinated children in the Somali community.
Overall childhood vaccination rates in the state are down since the pandemic, according to the Department of Health, with fewer than 90% of kindergartners up-to-date on their polio, MMR, DTaP, and varicella (chickenpox) shots. Prior to 2020 those rates were all closer to 95%.
The pandemic ushered in a wave of anti-vaccine sentiment, primarily among far-right Republicans. State lawmakers like Reps. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, and Natalie Zeleznikar, R-Fredenberg Township, routinely rail against the safety and efficacy of common vaccines.
University of Minnesota public health expert Michael Osterholm told MPR News that in the Somali community vaccination rates are lower than the state average, owing in part to vaccine misinformation shared within the community. Minnesota’s Somali community has been targeted by anti-vaccine activists in the past.
Survey reveals GOP voter preoccupation with opposite side of country
The U.S.-Mexico border is one of the top concerns of Minnesota Republican voters, according to the latest MinnPost poll, despite that border being located at least 1,000 miles from anywhere in the state.
Only inflation ranks higher, ever so slightly, on Republican voters’ list of concerns, according to the poll.
Democratic voters, on the other hand, are more worried about the erosion of abortion rights and the threat of gun violence.
About 95,000 undocumented immigrants live in the state, according to a Pew Research Center estimate. About 70% are employed, according to separate data from the Migration Policy Institute, underscoring that most undocumented immigrants come here for economic opportunities.
While the MinnPost survey did not poll attitudes about the much closer border with Wisconsin, Census data show that about 18,000 Wisconsinites cross it to settle in Minnesota each year. Many refuse to assimilate to local customs and traditions, which can create tensions in the communities they migrate to.
September tax receipts more than 9% higher than anticipated
The latest tax data from Minnesota Management and Budget shows the state took in $2.24 billion in August, about 9.1% higher than forecasts predicted. Much of the unexpected increase happened in the “other revenue” category, which includes investment and estate taxes.
Year-to-date revenues are now nearly 5% higher than anticipated, which should help with the long-term “structural imbalance” in the state budget.
Overdose deaths fall
NPR reported last week that national overdose deaths dropped significantly in late 2023 and early 2024, a welcome reversal from years of double-digit increases.
In the 12-month period ending in April 2023, for instance, CDC data show that about 112,000 people died of drug overdoses. By April 2024 that figure had dropped down to about 100,000.
Data on emergency department visits for drug overdoses show a similar decline.
Researchers are sorting through the reasons why the drop may be happening. More widespread availability of naloxone — the overdose reversal treatment — is likely contributing. Drug users interviewed by NPR also noted there was a greater wariness toward possible adulterants in the substances they take.
Greater availability of addiction treatment services may also be playing a role.