Oakland County sees Michigan's first measles case of 2025

Southfield — Oakland County is home to Michigan's first measles case of 2025, health officials announced on Friday, urging residents to get vaccinated against the highly infectious virus, which can potentially be deadly for babies and other vulnerable people. The case is associated with recent international travel, Oakland County officials said, declining to specify where exactly the infected person traveled. State health officials said late Friday the patient is an adult and their vaccination status is unknown. Health officials are also urging people who ate at a particular restaurant or visited an emergency room, both in Rochester, to be vigilant, as they may have been exposed. “This case of measles is a reminder of how easily this highly contagious disease can spread, particularly with international travel,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services chief medical executive. “Vaccination remains our best defense against measles and is highly efficient at protecting individuals and preventing outbreaks." During a press conference Friday afternoon at the county health center office in Southfield, Oakland County Health Officer Kate Guzman declined to provide any information that might identify the lone infected patient, including their age and sex. But she did say the patient had visited two public locations while they were infectious. Sometime between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on March 3, they visited Kruse and Muer, a restaurant on Main Street in Rochester. On March 7, the patient developed a rash, the most obvious sign of measles. On March 8, they sought care at the emergency department of Henry Ford Hospital on University Drive in Rochester and remained there between 3:40 a.m. until the following morning, March 9 at 9:32 a.m. They returned to the hospital on March 10 and stayed there from about 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Guzman said the restaurant and the emergency room are the only public places exposed to the virus. She said the public is fortunate there are so few possible points of infection. "That's very unusual in a measles case," she said. The most obvious symptom of measles is the tell-tale red rash, which generally starts on the scalp and works its way down the body, Guzman said. However, the rash will not appear until a week or two after infection. Early symptoms can include a fever —often a "dramatically high fever" Guzman said — cough, runny nose, watery eyes and pink eye. Small white spots in the mouth called Koplik spots may appear within a few days, followed by a measles rash of red spots, according to the CDC. "Be very watchful of those symptoms if you were at the restaurant or at the hospital emergency room during those times," Guzman said. The duration of the symptoms varies from person to person, but the infectious period stretches from four days before the appearance of a rash to four days after its onset. The virus can remain active in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area. Anyone who suspects they may be infected should notify their health care provider rather that immediately visiting a hospital or other medical facility, "so they can put the proper isolation precautions in place so they can protect the public and the other patients that would be at that facility," Guzman said. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed at least six measles cases in 2024, and four have been reported so far in 2025, according to the Michigan Disease Surveillance System's most recent weekly report. The report's data is provisional as cases are investigated and either confirmed or ruled out. Guzman said the Oakland County case is the first to be confirmed in the state this year and the first confirmed in Oakland County since 2019. "Measels is one of our most contagious diseases, with the virus spread through infectious droplets," she said. "And it's airborne as well, so (it's spread through) your coughing, sneezing, singing, talking." According to the CDC, measles can cause serious complications like pneumonia and encephalitis. Guzman said the disease is potentially deadly, especially for very young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. 'An incredible vaccine' Of the U.S. cases this year, 95% of those infected did not receive the measles vaccine, according to the CDC. Guzman said the vaccine is 97% effective after two doses. "It's an incredible vaccine and it's one of the few that works post-exposure," she said. "If you can vaccinate someone within 72 hours of exposure to a measles case, you can prevent their infection or reduce the severity of the infection." Another preventative measure, immune globuline, which contains antibodies, can be administered up to six days after exposure to reduce likelihood of infection or limit severity. Guzman said this treatment is an option for infants under 1 year of age who are too young for the vaccine or for immune-compromised adults. To be considered immune to measles, health officials say two doses of the vaccine are required and they are generally scheduled for kids at ages 1 and 4. "Anyone born after 1989 probably has these two doses," Guzman said. Anyone born between 1958 and 1988 likely only had one dose as a child. People born in 1957 or earlier likely did not receive a single dose, but are still considered immune. People born in the 1958-1988 range may consider getting a booster, especially if they work in health care, travel often or otherwise have an increased risk of exposure. "As cases are increasing nationwide, worldwide, we will start to see more in our community," Guzman said. "Think about getting that booster dose." Oakland County's rate of vaccination has "hovered" around 80% in the years since the pandemic, Guzman said. For a population to have "herd immunity," that rate would need to hit 95%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 301 measles cases in the United States in 2025. There have been three measles outbreaks, or three or more related cases, accounting for 93% of cases this year. One outbreak in Texas infected over 145 people and led to the death of a school-aged child. Guzman linked the outbreak in Texas to a rise in public preference for "natural immunity," gained by direct exposure — sometimes purposefully — to the virus. "Families are hosting measles parties where they want to get their children exposed to a natural case of measles so their child builds immunity to measles," she said. "I cannot discourage this practice enough," she added. "Measles parties are dangerous and they threaten the lives of our young children." hmackay@detroitnews.com mreinhart@detroitnews.com