- Washtenaw County has confirmed a measles outbreak of three cases, all linked to an unvaccinated adult who visited high-trafficked locations in Ypsilanti and Canton in early March
- The two additional cases involve unvaccinated children and adolescents ages 5 to 17
- Michigan’s MMR vaccination rate for children has dropped sharply — from 89% in 2017 to 66% today — raising concerns about further spread
Washtenaw County is confirming a measles outbreak — all three cases are connected to several high-trafficked areas in Ypsilanti and Canton visited by an unvaccinated adult earlier this month.
A measles case was first announced in and around Ypsilanti on March 11, where health officials say the individual came into close contact and exposed others to the highly contagious disease at several popular locations between March 4 and 8.
That includes a mall, urgent care clinics, a pharmacy, cell phone stores and a restaurant.
The other two cases have been reported in unvaccinated 5 to 17 year olds.
“Our team is working very hard to contain this outbreak as much as possible,” Dr. Juan Luis Marquez, medical director for the Washtenaw County Health Department, said in a statement.
What to do
The county is urging that anyone who has visited the reported locations during that time period do the following:
- Monitor for symptoms of measles for 21 days after the exposure, including:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums, and roof of the mouth after onset of above symptoms
- A red, raised blotch rash that usually starts on face, spreads to torso, arms, and legs after symptoms appear
- Call your health care provider if symptoms appear
- Do not visit a doctor’s office, urgent care or emergency in person without coordinating beforehand
Health officials stress that vulnerable populations like young children, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals are more at risk of the prolonged complications that occur from measles: hospitalization, encephalitis, pneumonia, complications during pregnancy and death.
The Washtenaw County Health Department is offering vaccines for those in need:
- Call 734-544-6700 for assistance
- Walk-ins at 555 Towner in Ypsilanti:
- Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Vaccines are also available at doctor’s offices, other health departments and most pharmacies, with many providing the shots at no-cost through most insurance plans. Those without coverage may still be able to qualify for certain free immunization programs.
Some adults who have gotten measles vaccines prior to 1989 may need to contact their health care provider for guidance.
More cases expected
The US is reporting more than 1,360 cases of measles across more than two dozen states. No fatalities have been reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most cases in the US are seen in those ages 5 to 19, while 92% of cases are occurring in unvaccinated people or those with unknown immunization status.
In Washtenaw County, vaccine intake is better than the state average in some regard, but falls behind national averages for protecting against measles. All rates have declined in recent years.
Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said cases of the highly contagious disease are “spreading like wildfire this year,” with spring break exacerbating spread.
“In this case, what happens on spring break does not stay on spring break,” Bagdasarian said in a statement, adding that two doses of the MMR — or measles, mumps and rubella — vaccine can offer 97% protection against the disease.
“We urge all Michigan residents to check their vaccination records to ensure they are up to date with the MMR vaccine.”
County health officials say routine immunization coverage has dropped off across the board. Statewide, coverage for the two doses of the MMR vaccine for children ages 4 to 6 has decreased from 89% in 2017 to 66% as of January 2026. In Washtenaw, MMR coverage for that age group is 70%.
The current circumstances, they say, is likely to bring more infections.“Unfortunately, we expect to see additional cases in exposed, unvaccinated individuals, as measles is very contagious,” Marquez said.
