Michigan has its first confirmed measles case since 2019, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The department said the case is an Oakland County child, and is associated with international travel.
Officials said they do not think anyone outside the child’s household was exposed.
Measles is highly contagious, but it is preventable with vaccines. The state health department recommends unvaccinated people in Michigan ages 1 and older get the vaccine.
The virus can live for up to two hours in the air after an infected person is present. Symptoms of measles most often begin seven to 14 days after exposure, but can appear as much as 21 days after a person is exposed.
Symptoms include a high fever that can spike to over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, tiny white spots in the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth, and a red, raised, blotchy rash that usually starts on the face, and spreads to the trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms start.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says for unvaccinated people, measles can be serious, especially in kids younger than five. Complications of measles can include brain swelling, and the disease can be fatal.
The state health department urged anyone who develops symptoms to not visit their doctor or emergency room unless they’ve called ahead so the facility can prevent exposure to other people.
The health department is encouraging parents to make sure their children are up to date on their vaccinations. MDHHS says the vaccine is highly effective and very safe. It’s also effective if used within 72 hours of known exposure to measles.
The CDC says if you received two doses of the measles vaccine as a child, you should be protected for life, and you do not need a booster dose as an adult.
