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Measles cases surge to six-year high with over 700 confirmed in 24 states
There are now over 700 cases of measles across 24 U.S. states, according to CDC data, marking the highest number of cases in six years. (Scripps News)
Scripps News
- A one-year-old girl in Ingham County, Michigan, contracted measles, marking the county’s first case in 30 years.
- Health officials are working to identify the source of the infection and notify potential contacts.
- The case highlights the importance of MMR vaccination for community protection.
LANSING — The parents of a girl who had the first case of measles in Ingham County in 30 years did “exactly what they were supposed to do” to protect their child and provided information to help officials track down anyone else who might have been exposed to the virus, a health official said.
The 1-year-old girl had received her first dose of the vaccine one day before boarding a plane for a trip out of state, Nike Shoyinka, Ingham County’s medical health officer, said during a Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday.
The girl had “very mild” symptoms, probably because she had had a dose of the MMR vaccine one day before she traveled, Shoyinka said. But she wouldn’t have acquired the antibodies for full protection until after about two weeks, the health official said.
“Even though this child was vaccinated, she was still relatively susceptible, given the short period of time …,” Shoyinka said.
Officials still were trying to determine exactly where the child was exposed to measles, she said.
The girl’s mother told the State Journal she wanted the public to know her daughter was vaccinated before they traveled out of state. The State Journal is not identifying the family for privacy reasons.
She said the family flew to Nevada on March 25, a day after her daughter was vaccinated. They traveled through Detroit Metropolitan Airport, where, on that day, a known infected person put others at risk of contracting measles.
The family also flew back into Detroit. The woman said she and her family then learned of an infected traveler potentially exposing hundreds of others at both Grand Rapids and Detroit airports.
About a week later, on April 8, she took her daughter to a music class and noticed her daughter had developed a rash.
She immediately feared measles, and tests involving University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and Ingham County Health Department ensued, confirming a positive test.
The Ingham County Health Department reported the case on its Facebook page on Monday, noting that the infection can spread quickly, especially among the unvaccinated.
It’s the fifth confirmed case in Michigan this year, according to state officials, and one of more than 700 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. as of April 10, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In comparison, there were 285 cases in 2024.
Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes or rash. Shoyinka said the last confirmed measles case in Ingham County was in 1994.
The health department provided a list of places where the girl had been before being diagnosed, including a Tractor Supply store in Lansing on April 4 and the Michigan State University Community Music School on April 8.
Those locations were:
- 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. April 4, Tractor Supply on West Grand River Ave. in Lansing
- 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 5, Okemos Farmer’s Market in Meridian Mall
- 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 5, Aldi’s in Okemos
- 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 6, Towar Hart Baptist Church in East Lansing
- 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 6 Toscana Restaurant on East Michigan Avenue in Lansing
- 5:30 p.m. to 7:35 p.m. April 8, Michigan State University Community Music School bathroom in East Lansing
- 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. April 8, University of Michigan Health-Sparrow hospital
Shoyinka said the risk of exposure at MSU was relatively small, given that the family said they walked out almost immediately after walking in. Even so, anyone who was in any of those spaces could be as risk, she said. The MMR vaccine is available at MSU, she said.
The girl who caught measles also has been at an undisclosed “school,” but officials did not list it as a potential exposure site because they were given a complete list of students and other people who had been there, Shoyinka said. In those other public places, it’s more difficult to determine who might have been exposed, she said.
The school had “a little over 50 students,” and very few of them were unvaccinated or have waivers, she said.
The girl’s mother told the State Journal her “giggly, happy, funny child” became lethargic and sluggish once she contracted measles, leaving her both concerned for her well-being and angry at those who don’t get vaccinated.
The child is nearly back to normal, and her mom plans to keep her quarantined for about a month. But she was shocked to read social media posts accusing her of child abuse, despite the fact her daughter was immunized.
“It’s a lot of emotions for me as a mom who is just trying to do her best for her 1-year-old,” she said. “She’s doing a lot better. She’ going to be fine. For me, it’s already an emotional time because, …Why would my 1-year old in 2025 have the measles.”
Health officials said that best protection against measles is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which provides long-lasting protection against measles. An infected person can spread measles before noticing symptoms, officials have said. Measles symptoms usually appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus but can take up to 21 days.
In a news release, the health department said MMR coverage for children aged 19 to 35 months in Ingham County stood at 83.3% in February, slightly above the state average of 80%.
“While this is encouraging, it remains below the threshold required for herd immunity,” the release said.
Shoyinka said children typically get their first vaccine dose between the ages of 12 and 15 months, with a second dose administered between the ages of 4 and 6. But the first dose can be given as early as 6 months of age, and it’s possible to give a second dose as soon as about a month after the first dose, she said.
The vaccine is safe and effective, with 97 percent protection after two doses, Shoyinka said.
The vaccine is available at the county’s Immunization Clinic, 5303 S. Cedar Street in Lansing. For appointments or additional information, people can call (517) 887-4316 or send an email to [email protected].
“We urge all residents to verify their vaccination status and take necessary precautions to protect themselves and others,” officials said in the news release.
Contact Ken Palmer at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KBPalm_lsj.
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