Measles is a highly contagious virus spread through the air and direct contact which is very common among children. According to the World Health Organization, "in 2024, there were an estimated 95 000 measles deaths globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under vaccinated children under the age of 5 years."
In 2026, Michigan confirmed it's first measles outbreak in Washtenaw county. With more confirmed cases reported and expected to increase as the year goes on.
2026 Measles cases
Health officials in Ottawa County say there are no new measles exposure sites, so there's no new risk to the community.
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The Washtenaw County Health Department says the most recent case is an unvaccinated child who was a close contact of the state's first case of 2026, reported on March 11. -
Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed a measles outbreak in Washtenaw County, with four known linked cases. -
The Washtenaw County Health Department says the first case is a person who was not vaccinated and had recently traveled to Florida where they probably contracted the virus. -
The second confirmed case of measles in Oakland County this year could have exposed people at the DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital’s emergency department on Sunday, December 7.
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No public exposure sites have been identified yet, health officials said, in an outbreak that has been "brewing since late June."
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At a time when the state is seeing a surge in vaccine-preventable illnesses in kids, the state's trying to figure out why more parents are delaying or skipping vaccines. -
After going a decade without a single measles case, Kent County has recorded two in 2025. -
The infected people visited several public locations, and local health officials are urging those who may have been exposed to monitor for symptoms and get vaccinated.
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Calling measles cases in the state the "canary in the coal mine," Michigan's chief medical executive says declining vaccination rates are a real concern.
