Michigan reports 3 measles cases as outbreak continues in Florida, other states

Three new measles cases and hundreds of potential exposure have been reported in Michigan, one of the latest states impacted by the spread of the infection across the U.S.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a total of 41 cases across sixteen states as of late February, an increase from the 23 documented across 9 states between December 1, 2023, and January 23, 2024.

The preventable illness was once common but was essentially eradicated in the U.S. thanks to the widespread use of vaccines. The current cases have reportedly occurred in unvaccinated people and those who recently traveled internationally.

Prevention and vigilance are vital in stopping the spread, health officials have said. See more information on outbreaks in Michigan, Florida and other states below to keep on top of protecting the health of yourself and your family.

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Three measles cases, more exposures reported in Michigan

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released a notice on Tuesday, saying the three confirmed cases in Mighican are not connected, calling this fact a testament to just how contagious the disease can be.

“If you are not vaccinated for measles, get vaccinated as quickly as you can,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive said in the statement. “We are seeing increased cases of measles abroad and outbreaks of measles across the United States in the setting of declining childhood vaccination rates. Now measles is in Michigan, and it’s important to make sure you protect yourself from this vaccine-preventable disease.”

Besides the three confirmed infections, hundreds of people in Wayne and Washtenaw counties were also exposed to the disease, officials told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY network.

Two adults who had no vaccination on record and had traveled internationally sought treatment at two urgent care facilities, a pharmacy and two hospital emergency departments, potentially exposing workers and customers.

Chelsea Wuth, a spokesperson for the state health department, told the Detroit Free Press that you don’t need to share the same airspace with an infected person at the same time to become infected, meaning the risk of spread can sometimes be overlooked.

"Measles is highly infectious, can be transmittable before the characteristic rash, the initial symptoms can be nondescript and the virus can linger in the air for hours," she told the Free Press. "Therefore, crowded and high-traffic areas where persons with measles have been can result in a large number of potentially exposed persons."

Health officials said the exposures occurred at the following facilities:

• The emergency department/triage area at Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, 5301 McAuley Drive, Ypsilanti, from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. March 1.

• The emergency department at Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital, 18101 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, from 3-8 p.m. Feb. 29.

• The Henry Ford GoHealth Urgent Care, 26763 Ford Road, Dearborn Heights, from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 29.

• The WellStreet/Beaumont Urgent Care, 23100 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, from 2-5:30 p.m. Feb. 27.

• CVS Pharmacy, 2701 S. Telegraph Road, Dearborn, from 4-6:30 p.m. Feb. 27.

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Outbreak continues in Florida

Florida has reported the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. so far with 10 confirmed cases across Broward and Polk counties. The first case was reported at Manatee Bay Elementary School on Feb. 16, and the majority of infections have been linked back to the school. One case has been attributed to an adult who had recently traveled.

Nine of the cases are in Broward, while the single adult case is in Polk, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has come under fire for his handling of the outbreak, as his recommendations have been in direct conflict with federal health organizations. As the Florida outbreak has continued, he told parents of infected children they could decide when to send their kids back to school, while the CDC recommends that unvaccinated children exposed to measles be isolated for three weeks.

He attributed this decision partially to a "high immunity rate” amongst the student population.

The outbreak has also been linked to increased vaccine hesitancy in the state. The percentage of kindergarten students who submitted the school form certifying they have the MMR shot fell to 91.7% in the 2021 to 2022 school year, according to a Florida Department of Public Health report. That's lower than the national average, 93%, for the same year, and lower than the average in Florida five years prior, which came in at 94.1%.

Measles cases confirmed in states across U.S.

As of February 29, 2024, a total of 41 measles cases were reported by 16 states, according to the CDC's monthly update. Many of these states have reported a small number of infections, often between one to three cases.

Florida has the largest outbreak so far with 10 confirmed cases, seven of which were traced back to an elementary school attended by multiple unvaccinated children.

States reporting measles cases include:

• Arizona

• California

• Florida

• Georgia

• Indiana

• Louisiana

• Maryland

• Michigan

• Minnesota

• Missouri

• New Jersey

• New York City

• Ohio

• Pennsylvania

• Virginia

• Washington

What to do if you suspect you've been infected or exposed

The measles virus can live for up to two hours in the air where the infected person was present, according to MDHHS. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure but can appear up to 21 days after exposure.

If you become ill, watch out for these symptoms:

• 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) two to three days after symptoms begin.

• A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin.

If these symptoms develop, call your doctor, urgent care or hospital before going in person to seek treatment. This will prevent potentially spreading the virus to others and give medical facilities time to put proper precautions into place if they do have you come in for assistance.

If you believe you may have been exposed and are unvaccinated, contact your doctor immediately, as early intervention can make a difference in medical care.

Get vaccinated

The best way to avoid contracting measles, however, is prevention. Measles is highly preventable through routine MMR vaccines, which protect against measles, mumps and rubella. The childhood vaccines generally come in two doses; just one dose is 93% effective at preventing measles and the second dose raises that number to 97%, according to the CDC.

The virus is so contagious that 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed end up contracting it, and 1 in 5 of those people end up hospitalized. These numbers are even more concerning for children, as roughly 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 kids who contract measles die from it, says the CDC.

The CDC will continue to monitor cases in the U.S.

Reporting contributed by Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan reports three measles cases as numbers grow in Florida, other states