After two cases of measles were identified in Grand Traverse County last week, health officials are now reporting the disease has spread to five total cases in individuals in both Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.

Two unvaccinated adults who recently returned from a trip to the Philippines were the index cases for the disease in Grand Traverse County, which then spread to an adult and two children in Leelanau County who were contacts of those individuals. Officials state the children did not attend school during their infectious period, and there is "no indication that anyone, in any age group, was in any of the school buildings during their infectious periods." Officials are monitoring for symptoms in several close contacts to the infected individuals - who have been isolated in their homes for 21 days - and are continuing to track down any others who may have been exposed.

The Grand Traverse Health Department encourages community members to make sure they are current on their MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine. The department also cautions that if any cases of measles do emerge in an area school, all unimmunized children will need to be excluded from that school for an extended period of time - 21 days from the last case appearing in the school.