A Macomb County resident has measles, the county health department said Thursday, marking the first case of the year in Michigan's third-largest county, and the state's 10th overall.
The Macomb County Health Department said there were no known sites where the public was exposed to the measles case, but it was working to notify individual people who might have been exposed.
Macomb County's report of a measles case came days after Ottawa County in West Michigan reported its first case of the disease in decades.
Those cases follow an outbreak of measles in Washtenaw County that sickened eight people.
Measles is very contagious and can lead to serious complications, especially in people who are not vaccinated. The spread of the virus prompted state health officials to encourage an accelerated vaccination schedule for babies in seven southeast Michigan counties.
Symptoms of measles can 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).
- A rash that starts as flat red spots on the face at the hairline, then spreads to the trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin. Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
The state health department said people who have been exposed to measles or have measles symptoms should call their health provider first before seeking treatment, to minimize exposure to the public.
Health officials said two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97% protection against measles.
