Measles and whooping cough cases surge in Michigan as vaccination rates drop

Before families start scheduling their summer travel plans, public health officials in Michigan are urging parents to check their children’s vaccination status: Cases of measles and pertussis, or whooping cough, are on rise in the state and across the country.

As of April 24, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 884 confirmed measles cases across 30 states, including nine cases in Michigan. The state has confirmed its first measles outbreak (defined as three or more related cases) since 2019 in Montcalm County.

So far in 2025, Michigan has also already reported nearly 500 whooping cough cases. In 2024, Michigan reported 2,081 cases of whooping cough, nearly 19 times as many cases as the year prior and the third consecutive annual rise.

“These diseases are dangerous, especially for infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated. And this is a really good time for every parent to make sure their child is protected before summer travel and gatherings,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, at an April 24 press conference conducted with other health professionals.

Measles and whooping cough are highly contagious diseases that are preventable with effective vaccines. The federal government declared measles eliminated in the United States in 2000, a feat which was attributed to a rigorous vaccination campaign.

In 2025, 97% of those infected with measles were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status, and 31% of cases were in children under 5.

The increase in measles and whooping cough cases is a consequence of childhood vaccination rates dropping significantly in Michigan since 2020, according to Ryan Milosh, director of the immunization division at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

As of March 2025, only 71.5% of Michigan children ages 19 months to 35 months had received four or more doses of the whooping cough vaccine. The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, had been administered to about 79% of children in that age group.

These figures are well below the 95% guideline that the CDC identifies as a key component of herd immunity, a state in which a sufficient number of members of a community are immune to infectious diseases. Those who can’t be vaccinated, such as infants or pregnant people, can be protected against infection if their community reaches a high-enough level of herd immunity, decreasing the likelihood that a given disease will spread. To check vaccination rates in their areas, residents can visit the county immunization tracker on the MDHHS website.

Amid the measles resurgence, federal officials have publicly spread false information about the vaccines. In an April interview with CBS News, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. incorrectly stated that the measles vaccine hasn’t been safely tested and that the protection it offers isn’t long-lasting, despite decades of research and testing that prove otherwise. Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, has long been an influential figure in the anti-vaccine movement in America.

The Michigan health professionals appearing at the press conference encouraged parents to rely on information that has been widely tested and scientifically proven and to reach out to their family health care providers if they have questions.

Dr. Rachel Klamo, a family physician in Oakland County and the president of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, said it’s been a struggle to educate vaccine-hesitant parents about the importance of childhood vaccinations.

“We want them to understand that vaccines are truly safe and effective, and when we see children, adults, everyone at their visits, we really strive to counsel them very consistently on the importance of becoming vaccinated,” Klamo said.

Klamo also said that, since the outbreaks of the measles began, more parents have been bringing their children to doctors’ offices to get vaccinated: “We are happy to get them back.”

Measles and whooping cough start with cold-like symptoms such as high fever, cough and runny nose, but they can have severe complications, including pneumonia and brain swelling.

Veronica McNally lost her 12-week-old daughter Francesca Marie to whooping cough in 2012. She now helps educate the public on the importance of vaccinations as the president of the Franny Strong Foundation and founder of the I Vaccinate campaign.

Her advice to parents? Make a plan with your child’s medical provider to determine whether your child is missing any routine vaccinations, and encourage your friends with children to do the same.

“I know the significance of having a child with a vaccine-preventable disease, and that vaccine-preventable disease causing death, and I would do anything to be able to spare parents from what our family had to go through,” McNally said.

Parents can request a copy of their child’s immunization record from their primary care physician or visit the online Michigan Immunization Portal.