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Amid spiking rates of measles both in the state and across the country, a Michigan health system has announced a “cutting-edge” in-house testing system that aims to give patients rapid results for the highly contagious disease.
The University of Michigan Health-Sparrow announced the new test, administered via a nasal swab, is the first of its kind in the state. The test must be ordered by a physician, the health system said, and the sample can be collected either inside the hospital or from the patient’s vehicle.
“We think that measles is not going to go away, and we’re going to see future outbreaks. This was part of making sure that we were prepared for that,” said Jon Baker, laboratories director for UM Health-Sparrow in Lansing, in a statement.
UM Health-Sparrow Laboratories is among the largest hospital labs in the U.S. and was among the first in the state to offer in-house COVID-19 testing, officials said. It was also one of the first in the U.S. to implement the high-sensitivity troponin test for early detection of heart attacks.
“We’ve always seen it as one of our primary objectives to make sure that we’re on the cutting edge and, in particular, in terms of accessibility,” Baker said.
The development comes amid a surge in measles rates not seen in at least three decades.
As of Aug. 5, there have been 1,356 confirmed cases of measles across the U.S. this year, affecting residents in 41 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The caseload is the highest since measles was declared “eliminated” in the U.S. in 2000, thanks to high rates of vaccination.
In Michigan, there have been 27 confirmed cases as of Tuesday, according to the MDHHS. That’s up from seven cases confirmed in 2024. Fifteen cases from this year were part of outbreaks, which are defined as three or more related cases.
The most recent confirmed case in Michigan was reported by the state July 18 and involves a patient in Osceola County.
According to the CDC, vaccination rates have dropped slightly in recent years, from 95.2% among kindergartners during the 2019-20 school year to 92.5% during the 2024-25 school year.
The nationwide case total is up almost five times from the 285 cases detected throughout 2024 and has surpassed the 1,274 cases confirmed during the last notable surge in 2019.
Among this year’s total, 386 cases (28%) were detected in patients 5 and younger, according to the CDC. Health experts say young children are one of the groups most at risk of severe measles complications, alongside pregnant women, elderly individuals and people with weak immune systems.
The CDC said 171 measles patients have been hospitalized this year. Three cases have resulted in death, including two school-age children who had no known underlying health conditions. The disease is most widespread in Texas, where 762 cases (about 56% of all U.S. cases) have been confirmed this year.
Health officials have urged residents to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine if they aren’t already immune. Children are generally recommended to receive two doses of the vaccine, the first between 12 and 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years of age.
Health experts say up to 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people who come into contact with an infected person will become infected themselves. The disease can be spread up to four days before a carrier notices any symptoms.
The most common symptom is a rash that starts on the face at the hairline, then spreads to the rest of the body.
Symptoms usually appear one to two weeks after contact with the virus but can take up to 21 days, health officials say. Besides the rash, symptoms can include a high fever; cough; runny nose; red, watery eyes; and tiny white spots on the inner cheek, gums and roof of the mouth.
Anyone who believes they may have been exposed should call their healthcare provider before seeking treatment so healthcare workers can take steps to ensure other individuals are not infected.