Measles Virus Identified in Wayne County

Measles Virus Identified in Wayne County

Heads up, folks! A fresh case of the measles virus just popped up in Wayne County, Michigan, after an adult tested positive post their international journey. We now have seven folks in Michigan confirmed to have measles, with two originating from Wayne County alone this year.

So, here’s the deal. The person who’s got measles is doing their bit by staying isolated, and those who might’ve come in contact are getting updated about it. Importantly, remember this – the measles virus can hang out in the air for a good two hours. If you’ve been exposed, keep an eye out for symptoms for 21 days.

Now, a few places you might have been exposed are the Michigan Medicine Canton Health Center Waiting Area and the Trinity Health IHA Urgent Care-Schoolcraft Campus. If you were there on the specific times and dates listed below, weren’t fully vaccinated, and haven’t been contacted by health officials – head over to this link to figure out the next steps.

• 25th July: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Michigan Medicine Canton Health Center Waiting Area
• 27th July: 12 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Trinity Health IHA Urgent Care-Schoolcraft Campus
• 29th July: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Michigan Medicine Canton Health Center Waiting Area

Not sure how to recognize measles? It usually shows up 7 – 14 days after exposure, but can take up to 21 days. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes. You might also see tiny white spots called Koplik spots in the mouth. A red, raised, blotchy rash may appear 3 – 5 days after the symptoms begin.

Get this folks, the measles vaccine is 93% effective with one dose and about 97% effective with two! So, if you have the vaccine, you’re protected two to three weeks after getting the shot. If you haven’t been vaccinated and get exposed, you can still manage your risk of developing measles by getting vaccinated within 72 hours of exposure.

Now, rewind back to 2019 and Michigan had 46 confirmed cases of measles. With 1,274 cases across the US, it was the highest since 1992. The majority of those cases were folks who hadn’t had their vaccine shots.

Need to check if you’ve been vaccinated? If you were vaccinated in Michigan, you can check your immunization record here.