A new state Department of Health report is highlighting concern over the spread of highly-infectious diseases like measles.
This comes amid an increase in skepticism over vaccines.
While South Dakota hasn’t a measles outbreak, the new report shows the concern over the risk within the health care community. The last case recorded in South Dakota came in 2024.
There is no known treatment for measles beyond vaccination. Health officials say malnourished individuals are at heightened risk of severe complications or death from the disease.
Despite this, every one of the state’s neighbors — excluding Wyoming — have tallied at least one case of measles, or rubeola. The Nebraska was confirmed just south of the state line, prompting a public health notice from the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
To the north, there are 13 confirmed cases in North Dakota — two in the Fargo area and 11 in the Williston area.
This comes amid a significant nationwide outbreak of the illness, namely in Texas. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services records 729 cases as of May 23, the most recently published numbers.
Nationwide, two unvaccinated children and one unvaccinated adult have died from measles in 2025.
Measles vaccines are safe according to multiple peer-reviewed studies, and the medical community has a consensus opinion in support of two MMR shots for children. Any adult can receive the MMR vaccine at any time barring pregnancy, allergy, or weakened immune systems.
Despite this, MMR shots in South Dakota are trending downward, and are now at just 91 percent for kindergartners statewide according to the DoH; 95 percent is considered the standard.
Twelve South Dakota counties are reporting less than 80 percent inoculation rates, including just 56 percent in Faulk County and 60 percent in Jones. For context, the center of the Texas outbreak, Gaines County, has a vaccination rate of 80 percent. That county has reported over 400 measles cases this year.