Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has confirmed a measles outbreak in Washtenaw County.
There are three linked cases of measles. The health department said there are no new public exposure sites to report. The original case was in an unvaccinated person who had traveled to Florida.
The health department said the two additional cases linked to this outbreak “demonstrate how quickly measles can spread among individuals who are not immune to the virus.”
Measles is highly contagious and can spread quickly among unvaccinated people. Officials say symptoms include:
- High fever (may spike to over 104˚F).
- Cough.
- Runny nose.
- Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis).
- Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots).
- A rash that starts as flat red spots on the face at the hairline, then spreads to the trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin. Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
The state health department says if you have been exposed to measles or have measles symptoms, call your health provider first before seeking treatment, to minimize exposure to the public.
Health officials say two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97% protection against measles.
Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian is Michigan’s chief medical executive. She said childhood vaccination rates for measles, mumps, rubella, and polio have decreased in recent years. Fewer adults are getting vaccines for COVID and the flu as well, Bagdasarian added.
“There appears to be a trend happening across ages, across age groups, that really shows how some of the national conversation on vaccines is impacting our communities very directly,” Bagdasarian continued.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to reduce the number of recommended immunizations for children from 17 to 11. That was recently blocked by a federal judge. But the administration plans to appeal the decision, according to a Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson.
“I can tell you, as an infectious disease physician, thinking about some of these viruses and how incredibly transmissible they are, rates like this really put our kids at risk,” Bagdasarian said.
Bagdasarian said health care providers are seeing an erosion of trust in health institutions like the CDC.
“Sometimes it's difficult to even start having conversations about vaccines in 2026, given some of the political climate,” she said.
Susan Ringler-Cerniglia is the public information officer for the Washtenaw County Health Department. She said the county’s seeing the effects of declining vaccination rates firsthand, reporting the state’s first measles cases in 2026. Now, it’s evolved into an outbreak.
Ringler-Cerniglia said measles is more difficult to manage if the person affected is unvaccinated, but if they have enough notice, people can get vaccinated within 72 hours after exposure.
About one in five unvaccinated people who get measles require hospitalization, and the disease can result in swelling around the brain, pneumonia, and even death, Bagdasarian said.
“We have to realize that with infectious diseases, these are illnesses that don't recognize state lines,” Bagdasarian said. “These are diseases that are spread incredibly easily.”
Bagdasarian said it’s important for people to get information about vaccines from a trusted medical source, including a health care provider or primary care doctor.
“At the end of the day… we all want safer communities, safe families,” she said. “We all want our kids to just have the absolute best outcomes.”
