Measles in Michigan: What to know about the virus

The state of Michigan is seeing a rise in measles cases in the past few months – 25 years after the virus was declared eliminated from the United States – with the state's first outbreak since 2019 declared on Thursday.

Nearly half of the country, 24 states, are reporting measles cases as of April 10, 2025 – including Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. In the state of Michigan, the youngest case was a 1-year-old girl who recently traveled through the airport. 

Cases have been reported in six counties since the beginning of the year – including Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, and Washtenaw. Earlier this week, the Ingham County Health Department reported its first measles case since 1994 – the 1-year-old girl.

In Montcalm County, the state of Michigan has confirmed its first measles outbreak since 2019 as three linked cases have been confirmed.

The backstory:

Measles cases have also been confirmed in a Macomb County resident who returned from Ontario, Canada earlier in April as well as in Kent County after someone traveled through Detroit Metro Airport.

The first case was confirmed in Oakland County in mid-March.

The largest outbreak reported in the U.S. was in Texas where two kids have died from complications following contracting the virus. 

In response to the growing number of cases - which has reached more than 700 in 2025, according to the CDC - health Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. threw his support behind the MMR vaccine.

Corewell Health is providing more details about the measles from infectious disease doctors.

What they're saying:

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in the world, with the CDC saying that if one person has the measles and is around 10 people who are not protected, 9 of those people will catch the virus.

It's especially severe in young infants and those with a compromised immune system – and can be deadly. 

Symptoms include a respiratory illness with high fevers, tiredness, painful runny nose, cough and red eyes, followed by a rash. It an then lead to bacterial pneumonia, low oxygen levels that require hospital care and brain inflammation.

Measles can linger in the air for hours after an infected person was in the space. Corewell says the most recent outbreak is due to vaccination rates dipping below 95%.

Is measles preventable?

In the U.S., measles is included in the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or MMR plus varicella (MMR-V) vaccine.

Healthy children or adults who have received two doses of the vaccine should not be worried about contracting measles or carrying the virus.

Children with at least one dose and are awaiting the second dose are also considered protected. People who are overdue for the second dose are considered an increased risk at catching and carrying the virus.

Vitamin A does not prevent measles, only the MMR vaccine can prevent measles.

Is the MMR vaccine safe?

The MMR vaccine is safe and effective for anyone over 6 months. 

The vaccine is not safe for those with certain types of immune deficiency, including advanced HIV/AIDS and anyone who has had an organ transplant or is undergoing chemotherapy. 

There are temporary side effects - including fever, pain and redness that can cause a measles-like rash. 

Parents with kids who are not vaccinated should not worry about increasing the schedule of it – unless they are immunosuppressed or plan to travel overseas for a lengthy time. Parents are urged to contact their doctors.

 Can vaccinated people get the measles?

The vaccine has an efficacy rate of 97%. People who are vaccinated are unlikely to contract measles and, if you do, you're unlikely to be seriously ill from the infection.

What about boosters?

Most people don't need a booster – unless they were vaccinated between 1963 and 1967.

Adults who had the measles as a kid don't need the vaccine – a measles infection induces lifelong immunity. Most people born before 1957 were infected during childhood and are considered immune.

Measles herd immunity

If infants are in a community with at least 95% immunity, they are considered to be unlikely to be exposed because of herd immunity.

Infants with an increased risk of exposure, such as those who live in or travel to an area with a known outbreak, can receive an antibody (immune globulin) injection to provide four to six months of immunity. This is not a substition for a vaccine.

What you can do:

If you think you were exposed to measles, you need to take one of the following actions:

• Healthy people who have received both doses of MMR, take no action
• Healthy people who have gotten one dose and are overdue should get the second dose as soon as possible.
• Healthy people who have not gotten the vaccine should get vaccinated as soon as possible.
• Healthy people who are too young, pregnant people, or those with severe compromised immune systems should contact their doctors.

Health