DETROIT – Health officials have confirmed a total 42 measles cases in Michigan this year.
There are 39 confirmed cases in Oakland County and two in Wayne County. The number is expected to increase as more cases are confirmed. An unconnected case has been confirmed in Washtenaw County.
Infected individuals range in age from 8 months to 63 years.
- IMPORTANT INFO: How does age affect vulnerability to measles?
Officials say people may have been exposed this month in Detroit and in the suburbs of Oak Park, Berkley, Farmington Hills, Royal Oak and Southfield, including at synagogues, Jewish educational institutions, a hospital and grocery stores.
“Measles is in the community and highly contagious. You need to get vaccinated if you are unsure whether you have been vaccinated or unsure if you have had measles in the past,” said Leigh-Anne Stafford, health officer for Oakland County. “If symptoms develop, do not visit your doctor or emergency room unless you call ahead so they can take precautions to prevent exposure to other individuals.”
Vaccination information
The Oakland County Health Division is offering vaccination at their offices in Southfield and Pontiac on Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday to Friday from 8:30 a.m.to 5 p.m. For more information, call 800-848-5533. The offices are not testing centers
- North Oakland Health Center, 1200 North Telegraph Road, Building 34 East, Pontiac
- South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield
The Oakland County Health Division is also offering vaccination clinics March 27-29 at Young Israel of Oak Park at 15140 West 10 Mile Road from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Wayne County Health Department also offers walk-in vaccination at 33030 Van Born Road in Wayne on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8-11 a.m. and 12:30-4 p.m. and on Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3:30-7 p.m. Call 734-727-7101 for more information.
If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of measles call the emergency room or physicians office before you arrive so doctors can take the steps needed to protect other patients from possible exposure.
Tracking the measles outbreak -- watch:
Oakland County locations with risk of measles exposure
This is the list of known measles exposure locations in Oakland County -- last updated on March 27, 2019:
March 14 - 19:
- Congregation B’Nai Israel: 15400 W. 10 Mile Rd., Oak Park
- Ahavas Olam: 15620 W 10 Mile Rd., Southfield
- Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Detroit: 24600 Greenfield Rd., Oak Park
- Kollel Institute of Greater Detroit: 15230 Lincoln St., Oak Park
March 15 - 18:
- One Stop Kosher Food Market: 25155 Greenfield Rd., Southfield
March 15:
- Young Israel of Oak Park: 15140 W. 10 Mile Rd., Oak Park, After 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Kroger, 23675 Greenfield Rd.: Southfield, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
March 16:
- Huntington Woods Minyan: 14130 Balfour St., Oak Park, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
March 17:
- Yeshivas Darchei Torah School: 21550 W. 12 Mile Rd., Southfield, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
March 18:
- Kroger: 19853 W. 12 Mile Rd., Southfield, 8 p.m. -11 p.m.
- Berkley Medical Center: 1695 W. 12 Mile Rd., Berkley, 11:15 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Meijer: 28800 Telegraph Rd., Southfield, 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Yeshivas Darchei Torah School: 21550 W. 12 Mile Rd., Southfield, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
March 20:
- Brede, Inc.: 19000 Glendale Ave., Detroit, 12 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Aldi: 26300 Greenfield Rd, Oak Park, All Day
- Kollel Institute of Greater Detroit: 15230 Lincoln St., Oak Park, 8:20 - 11:20 a.m.
- Meijer: 5150 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak, 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
- Ohr HaTorah Synagogue: 15150 W. 10 Mile Rd, Oak Park, 7 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- One Stop Kosher Food Market: 25155 Greenfield Rd., Southfield, Oak Park, Noon - 3:30 p.m.
- Pointview Products: 46986 Liberty Dr., Wixom, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
- Yeshiva Beth Yahuda: 15751 Lincoln Dr, Southfield,10:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
March 21
- Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak – Emergency Department: 3601 W. 13 Mile Rd., 10 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (no longer considered an exposure location)
- Congregation Yagdil Torah: 17100 W 10 Mile Rd, Southfield, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
- Dorfman Funeral Home: 30440 West 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, 2 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- Dovid ben Nuchim: 14800 Lincoln St, Oak Park, 8:30 - 11:30 p.m.
- Yeshiva Beth Yahuda: 15751 Lincoln Dr, Southfield, 8:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. - 12:45 a.m.
- Ohr HaTorah Synagogue: 15150 W. 10 Mile Rd, Oak Park, 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. and 2:45 - 5:30 p.m.
March 22
- Aldi: 26300 Greenfield Rd, Oak Park, 1:15 - 4 p.m.
- Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Detroit: 24600 Greenfield Rd., Oak Park, 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
- Berkley Urgent Care: 3270 Greenfield Rd, Berkley, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
- Congregation Shomrey Emunah: 25451 Southfield Rd, Southfield, 7:30 - 10 p.m.
- One Stop Kosher Food Market: 25155 Greenfield Rd., Southfield, Oak Park, 1:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
March 23
- Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Detroit: 24600 Greenfield Rd., Oak Park, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
March 28
- Congregation B'Nai Israel: 15400 W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park, 5:30-8:30 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
- One Stop Kosher Food Market: 25155 Greenfield Road, Southfield, 5:45-8:30 p.m.
- Walgreens: 23111 Lahser Road, Southfield, 6:20-8:45 p.m.
April 1
- Bais Haknesses Hagrah: 14561 W. Lincoln Blvd., Oak Park, 7-10 a.m.
April 10
- Beis Chabad of North Oak Park: 15401 West 10 Mile Road in Oak Park, 7:45 p.m. to 10 p.m.
April 11
- Beis Chabad of North Oak Park: 15401 West 10 Mile Road in Oak Park, 7:45 p.m. to 10 p.m.
April 12
- Congregation B’Nai Israel: 15400 West 10 Mile Road in Oak Park, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
April 13
- Beis Chabad of North Oak Park: 15401 West 10 Mile Road in Oak Park, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Oakland County is posting known exposure locations online here.
Macomb County location with risk of measles exposure
- Bank of America at 45194 Romeo Plank Road in Macomb between noon and 2 p.m. March 19.
Washtenaw County location with risk of measles exposure
- BP Gas Station at 1166 Encorse Road in Ypsilanti between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. April 12.
Other Michigan locations with risk of measles exposure
April 11
- Speedway Gas Station: 6041 S. Pennsylvania Avenue in Lansing, 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
April 12
- Baymont by Wyndham Grand Rapids Airport: 2873 Kraft Avenue SE in Grand Rapids, around midnight to 3 a.m.
- Urgent Care Med Express: 3100 Plainfield Avenue NE in Grand Rapids, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Measles symptoms
According to state health officisl, measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact, and through the air.
The virus can live for up to two hours in the air where the infected person was present. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure and may include:
- High fever (may spike to over 104˚F).
- Cough.
- Runny nose.
- Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis).
- Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums, and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) 2-3 days after symptoms begin.
- A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms, and legs 3-5 days after symptoms begin.
Measles cases on rise
Michigan health officials say there has been a spike in measles cases in recent years. According to the state health department, from 2001-2012 the average number of measles cases reported nationally per year was about 60.
"But in recent years there have been far more, which is of great concern to public health authorities. So far this year, there have been 314 cases of measles confirmed in 15 states," redas a statement from the Michigan health department. "In 2018, Michigan had 19 cases of measles, the most reported in the state since 1994; the majority of people who got measles were not vaccinated."
The first of two routine childhood measles vaccine doses is given at 12 months of age. A second vaccine dose is given before the start of kindergarten. For international travel, infants as young as 6 months should be vaccinated against measles. Measles vaccine, or other acceptable documentation of immunity to measles, is recommended for all persons travelling internationally.
Most popular questions about measles answered
The No. 1 question everyone is asking: Were the people who contracted the measles so far vaccinated? That's a question Oakland County Health Department officials are asking the patients. They haven't yet decided to make that information public.
In the outbreak happening in Washington state's Clark County, 86 percent of infected patients had not been vaccinated and 10 percent couldn't verify if they had been vaccinated.
Adults who don't know if they've been vaccinated against measles can get a blood test. There is no harm in getting another dose of the MMR vaccine, according to experts.
Anyone who had a documented case of measles is considered immune by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Residents can have their blood tested by a doctor to make sure.
Measles causes a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat followed by a rash that spreads over the body. Severe complications can include permanent hearing loss, pneumonia, swelling of the brain and death, experts said.
Measles can also cause pregnant women to deliver prematurely, experts said.
The measles vaccine is one of the best vaccines because one dose is about 93 percent effective at preventing measles. Two doses are about 97 percent effective.
Anyone who thinks they might have been exposed to measles should call a doctor. Don't go immediately to the emergency room because that could spread measles to others. Calling first allows medical officials to make arrangements to minimize potential exposure.