Health Officials Warn of Measles Spread in Michigan

If you've been following the national and local news, you've probably seen an uptick in the measles cases. Michigan alone reported just three cases this April, marking Michigan's first outbreak since 2019. These three cases were tied to those that were reported in Ontario, Canada.

When and Where Cases Were Reported

By late April, Michigan saw a total of eight cases spanning in multiple Michigan counties, including Montcalm, Kent, Macomb, Ingham, and Oakland counties, which was the county with the first adult case reported.

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The uptick in measles cases could be related to a drop in vaccine rates. A study recently showed a drop in vaccine rates, a whopping 76% pre-COVID drop, to 70% post-COVID, with some counties even lower in vaccine rates.

Why Vaccine Rates Are Dropping

The Metro Detroit Counties saw the biggest decreases in vaccine rates, with Detroit at -75%, Oakland at -82% and Macomb at -80%. There has also been a significant increase in vaccination waivers across the state, which was at 3.1% in 2015, to 5.7% in 2023.

Michigan does have an overall MMR coverage, which is around 95%, however, those gaps in vaccines have created vulnerable pockets. In areas like Detroit near the border with Canada, it can cause an ignition in cases across the state.

Ties to Canada’s Measles Surge

The Montcalm outbreak is believed to be related to a measles surge in Ontario, Canada, where there were 1,000 cases reported in April of this year. With the closeness to the bordering country, it is believed this is what helped ignite cases in this specific Michigan county.

What Michigan Health Officials Are Saying

With the increases in cases, Michigan officials are asking you to check your shots, and not just those of your kids. Adults who were vaccinated before 1968 may have received an outdated version of the vaccines and should verify their immunity.

If you believe you've been exposed or have become symptomatic, you should notify your health care advisor and isolate for at least 4 days after the rash has begun.