COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Health Officer Rebecca Burns reported to the Community Health Agency Board of Health on Thursday morning that the State of Michigan is experiencing its first measles outbreak since 2019 with seven confirmed cases as of last Thursday.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services later reported an eighth confirmed case. The M.D.H.H.S. reported last week that Montcalm County had three confirmed cases. Other confirmed cases have been reported in Ingham, Kent, Macomb and Oakland Counties.
State officials are actively monitoring eight exposure sites in Ingham County and another in Oakland County.
An outbreak is defined as three or more related cases. Burns said this resurgence reflects national trends and extends into nearby areas in Canada.
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 but according to Burns, misinformation continues to affect immunization rates.
She pointed out that a fraudulent 1998 study that falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism contributed to vaccine hesitancy and that there is no link between the vaccine and autism.
PBS News reported in 2011 that the journal which published the report later retracted it and the doctor who was the lead author had his medical license revoked by British authorities.
In addition, Burns reported to the Board that Michigan was at a level of “High/Very High” for influenza cases as of April 5. She said, “It was a particularly bad influenza season with seven pediatric flu deaths in Michigan, one of which was from our area.”
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