The Metro: Increased measles concerns with cases on the rise

, April 9, 2025

Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. 25 years ago, but health experts say measles deaths could become more common, marking a shift backwards.

A patient gets a bandage after receiving a vaccine for influenza.

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More Americans are getting sick from preventable illnesses, especially kids. 

Here in Michigan, measles cases have recently been confirmed in Oakland, Macomb, and Kent counties. In Texas, two children have died from measles. Both were unvaccinated.

Health experts say measles deaths could become more common, marking a shift backwards. Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. 25 years ago following what state officials describe as “a highly effective vaccination program in the U.S.” along with better measles control across North, Central and South America.

But the landscape for infectious diseases is changing. Vaccine skepticism and hesitancy are on the rise. So far this year, over 600 confirmed measles cases have been reported across multiple states. For comparison, there were 285 measles cases reported for all of 2024.

Outbreaks are on the rise as well. The vast majority of measles cases are outbreak-associated, which is defined as three or more related cases. 

The nation’s hub for addressing infectious diseases — the Department of Health and Human Services — has faced major cuts under the Trump administration. Experts say those cuts could affect the response to infectious diseases at the local, state and national level.

Dr. Teena Chopra, infectious disease specialist and assistant dean at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine, joined The Metro to help us understand the situation. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Wednesday, April 9:

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Authors

  • Robyn Vincent
    Robyn Vincent is the co-host of The Metro on WDET. She is an award-winning journalist, a lifelong listener of WDET, and a graduate of Wayne State University, where she studied journalism. Before returning home to Detroit, she was a reporter, producer, editor, and executive producer for NPR stations in the Mountain West, including her favorite Western station, KUNC. She received a national fellowship from Investigative Reporters and Editors for her investigative work that probed the unchecked power of sheriffs in Colorado. She was also the editor-in-chief of an alternative weekly newspaper in Wyoming, leading the paper to win its first national award for a series she directed tracing one reporter’s experience living and working with Syrian refugees.

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