Sanilac County confirms its first measles case in years: what to watch for, when to call and who is protected

SANDUSKY, Mich. — The Sanilac County Health Department has confirmed a case of measles in a county resident, the county’s first in several years, and is working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to find out who may have been exposed.

The case was reported Thursday, Oct. 29. Reports from WNEM, Sanilac Broadcasting and Mid-Michigan NOW on the department’s announcement did not list any public exposure sites.

“Although measles has been uncommon in Sanilac County for many years, this case reminds us of the importance of remaining informed and taking preventive measures,” Health Officer Bryant Wilke said. “Our goal is to provide residents with accurate information, encourage awareness, and help families take appropriate steps to protect themselves and others.”

What to watch for

Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and the virus can hang in a room for up to two hours after that person leaves. Symptoms usually appear seven to 14 days after exposure but can take up to 21 days. They start with a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash that begins on the face and spreads downward.

Anyone with symptoms should stay home and call a doctor before going in, the department said, so a clinic or emergency room can keep the person away from waiting rooms. People who think they were exposed should call their health care provider or the health department at 810-648-4098.

Who is protected, and what still helps

Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine are about 97% effective, the department says. Health officials elsewhere in Michigan have said people are likely protected if they have had at least one MMR shot, have a recorded immunity, or were born before 1957.

For people who were exposed and are not immune, timing matters. An MMR shot within 72 hours, or a medicine called immunoglobulin within six days, may prevent illness, the Sanilac department said when it posted a notice in late September about a lab-confirmed case elsewhere in the Thumb that was linked to a known exposure, Sanilac County News reported. Families can check vaccination records or schedule an MMR shot through the department, which is at 171 Dawson St. in Sandusky and works by appointment.

Where Michigan stands

Michigan had confirmed 20 measles cases in 2026 as of Oct. 22, when three cases in Delta County became the Upper Peninsula’s first this year, WZZM reported. That count came before the Sanilac case was announced. The state updates its measles dashboard on Thursdays.

For all of 2025, MDHHS counted 30 cases in 10 counties. Twenty-eight of those patients were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the state’s figures.

Sources:
WNEM, “Measles case confirmed in Sanilac County” (Oct. 30, 2026), https://www.wnem.com/2026/10/30/measles-case-confirmed-sanilac-county/
Sanilac Broadcasting, “Measles case confirmed in Sanilac County” (Oct. 30, 2026), https://www.sanilacbroadcasting.com/2026/10/30/measles-case-confirmed-in-sanilac-county/
Mid-Michigan NOW, Sanilac County investigates measles case (Wilke quote), https://midmichigannow.com/news/local/sanilac-county-investigates-measles-case-tracing-exposures-with-state-health-officials
Sanilac County News, “Measles case confirmed in Thumb Region” (post-exposure guidance), https://sanilaccountynews.com/articles/measles-case-confirmed-in-thumb-region/
WZZM, Delta County cases bring Michigan’s 2026 total to 20 (Oct. 22, 2026), https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/health/michigan-confirmed-measles-cases-upper-peninsula-2026/69-9cd29c5e-a127-4712-9158-a9d6d29346ea
MDHHS, Measles Updates (2025 totals, dashboard schedule), https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/childrenfamilies/immunizations/measlesupdates
Photo: Sanilac County Courthouse, Drdpw, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sanilac_County_Courthouse_(3).jpg

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Tags: Sanilac County · Measles · Public health · Sanilac County Health Department · MMR vaccine · Thumb