MONTCALM COUNTY, Mich. – Health officials reported that Montcalm County is experiencing a measles outbreak, which is the state’s first confirmed outbreak since 2019.
On Thursday, April 17, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced that two new cases of measles have been confirmed in Montcalm County and are connected to the one that was confirmed on Wednesday, April 9.
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This outbreak is connected to the large outbreak in Ontario, Canada.
There are no new exposure sites in Michigan, and the Montcalm County cases aren’t connected to any of the confirmed cases in other counties, health officials said.
No other details are being shared to protect the identity of the people impacted.
2025 measles cases in Michigan
The two new measles cases in Montcalm County bring the state’s total number of confirmed cases to seven.
The first case was confirmed on Friday, March 14, in an Oakland County adult who had recently returned home from traveling internationally.
The second case was confirmed in a Kent County adult at the beginning of this month. This person had also recently traveled abroad and had traveled between New Jersey and Michigan when they returned to the U.S.
Measles was also confirmed in a Macomb County adult who recently traveled to Ontario, Canada, and in a Montcalm County resident who recently traveled out of the state. We now know that there are two other cases connected to this one.
Another case was confirmed in a child in Ingham County who got sick after she traveled outside of the state.
Symptoms
Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air and person-to-person contact.
Symptoms usually appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus, but can take up to 21 days to appear.
Those infected can spread measles before they notice symptoms. Common measles symptoms include the following:
- 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)
- A rash that starts as flat red spots on the face at the hairline, then spreads to the trunk, arms and legs three to five days after the symptoms begin. Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
You can find more information about measles on the state health department’s website.
Measles vaccine
Health officials say getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best way for residents to protect themselves against measles.
According to the CDC, two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles if you’re exposed to the virus. One dose of the vaccine is believed to be about 93% effective. You are considered fully protected about two to three weeks after getting the vaccine.
Experts answer questions about measles
Infectious disease experts at Corewell Health answered 12 common questions about measles amid the rise in cases.
Read the Q&A here --> 12 questions about measles answered as virus continues to spread in Michigan
For more information about measles in Michigan, visit here.
