DETROIT – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Friday it is reducing the statewide count of measles for 2019 to 39 following further testing of two of the cases.
Here is the full release from state health officials on Friday, April 12:
One child in Washtenaw County had been potentially exposed to measles and that child, along with an Oakland County child, had both been recently vaccinated. Their symptoms and initial test results classified them as measles cases. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol, additional genotype testing was conducted and determined they were not measles cases. The other 39 cases have been genotyped and confirmed to be measles cases.
Initial testing by MDHHS was positive for measles. The MMR vaccine contains a weakened live virus that cannot cause measles but can result in positive lab tests.
The MMR vaccine has the potential to cause a mild rash and fever. This is a vaccine reaction, not measles, and the individual is not infectious. Due to the evolving measles outbreak in Southeast Michigan, the local health departments took appropriate steps to limit further spread of measles and responded to protect the public’s health by:
- Promptly alerting the public about potential exposure sites.
- Identifying potential contacts.
- Offering post-exposure protection with either MMR vaccine or immune globulin (IG).
IG is safe and well-tolerated and provides effective short-term protection to recipients by giving them antibodies needed to fight off measles. This protection goes away after a few months, so recipients are urged to follow standard vaccination schedules.
These previously identified sites are no longer considered exposure locations at this time:
- Jewish Community Center of Ann Arbor
- Olive Garden restaurant in Ann Arbor
- Liberty Athletic Club in Ann Arbor
- Beaumont Royal Oak Emergency Department
- Green Garden Child Development Center