Measles outbreak continues to expand in Washtenaw County, fourth case now suspected
A measles outbreak continues to expand in Southeast Michigan, with a fourth suspected case now reported by the Washtenaw County Health Department.
The first case in this investigation was made public on March 11, with that first case associated with travel to Florida. A measles outbreak is defined by three related cases within a specific area, and that point was reached on March 20. Those three cases involve one adult and two children between the ages of 5 and 17.
The newly reported suspect case is a close contact of the first case, who was an adult, Washtenaw County health officials said. While the symptoms are consistent both with measles and a known exposure, confirmation awaits laboratory testing results.
"We are announcing this suspect case immediately because the last day for exposed infants and pregnant or immunocompromised individuals to receive preventative IG (immune globulin) treatment is Monday," said Juan Luis Marquez, MD, MPH, medical director with Washtenaw County Health Department.
Measles is considered a highly contagious disease that is spread both through personal contact and through the air. Health officials say it is preventable by vaccines with the current two-dose schedule about 97% effective in preventing measles. Under current guidelines explained by the Washtenaw County Health Department, the first vaccine dose is usually given at about age 1, with the second dose at about age 4.
The measles outbreak remains under investigation by the Washtenaw County Health Department, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services. Some of the known exposure locations, as previously reported, are in Wayne County.
Three additional sites are now on the exposure locations list.
They all happened on March 17 and involve the Crane Liberal Arts Building and Gunder Myron Building at Washtenaw County Community Colelge in Ann Arbor; along with the Kroger store on Whittaker Road in Ypsilanti.
The above video originally aired on March 20, 2026