Public Health Bulletin for Michigan Health Care Professionals

As of April 21, eight measles cases have been confirmed in Michigan. The first case impacted an individual in Oakland County. Then subsequent cases were confirmed in residents of Kent, Macomb, Montcalm and Ingham counties. Most individuals recently travelled internationally to areas with known measles activity.

On Wednesday, April 16, a measles outbreak – defined as three or more related cases – was confirmed in Montcalm County. This is the first confirmed measles outbreak in Michigan since 2019. This outbreak is linked to the ongoing outbreak in Ontario, Canada (as of April 17, there were 925 cases in Ontario).  

While many of the national headlines have focused on the measles outbreak in the Southern U.S. (with 597 cases), the Ontario measles outbreak has been linked to U.S. cases in several states – warranting a heightened clinical suspicion of measles among Michigan health care providers. From April 10 to April 16, 109 new cases were reported in Ontario with eight of those cases reported in Windsor, located directly across the border from Detroit.  

As we continue to monitor the situation, please take the following actions: 

• Immediately report any patient you are testing for measles to the local or state health department. 
• Refer to the reporting guidelines for communicable diseases and to the MDHHS Measles Updates page for more information. 

•  Refresh your measles knowledge. 
• Refer to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) clinical guidance overview and watch their video.
• Also refer to the revised MDHHS measles standard operating procedures and investigation guidelines document.   

• Know who should get vaccinated and who may need an additional dose – Click Here to see vaccination recommendations and vaccination trends.  

• Ask patients with exposure to call before they show up. Screen for measles exposure/symptoms at triage and isolate quickly.
• If a patient presents with symptoms suggestive of measles, isolate them immediately. Ideally in a single-patient airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) or in a private room with a closed door until an AIIR is available.
• Patients should be encouraged to call ahead and notify their health care facility of potential measles symptoms/exposures before arrival.  

Please contact your local health department or MDHHS if you have additional questions. Health departments can provide guidance on testing, isolating and managing patients with suspected measles and people exposed to measles.  

As a reminder, register with the Michigan Health Alert Network to stay up to date with all Michigan public health alerts.

Thank you for your continued partnership, 

Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FACP
Chief Medical Executive, State of Michigan

Sarah Lyon Callo, MS, PhD
Senior Deputy Director and State Epidemiologist, MDHHS Public Health Administration

Additional Provider Resources

Health care providers are often a family’s most trusted health resource. It is imperative we lean on this trust to communicate the best way families can protect themselves and their loved ones from disease outbreaks like measles, which is to get vaccinated and to stay up to date with routine vaccinations.   

Vaccines are available through primary care providers, pharmacies and local health departments. Medicaid and most insurance plans cover MMR vaccines at no-cost. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children Program may receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program at no-cost.   

For more information on measles, visit the CDC’s website. For State of Michigan Measles investigation guidelines, including specimen collection and testing protocols, visit Measles Investigation Guidelines. See information on measles cases and outbreaks domestically and globally.  

To support providers in their critical role as trusted messengers and community health leaders, the Michigan State Medical Society is pleased to offer an upcoming educational opportunity tailored to your needs.

The Michigan State Medical Society invites you to our upcoming webinar, The Structure of Public Health in Michigan.  This informative session is designed especially for you, our physician members, to shed light on the often-complex framework of public health in Michigan.

Join MSMS on Wednesday, May 21, from 12:00 - 12:45 pm for this crucial overview.

Our expert speaker, Jennifer Morse, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Medical Director, Central Michigan District, Mid-Michigan District, District Health Department #10, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in public health leadership.

Don't miss this chance to gain a deeper understanding of the public health landscape in Michigan.  Register today to secure your spot for

To register, click here.