OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Another measles case has been confirmed in Ottawa County, but the risk of the disease spreading is low, said health officials, as all of the people involved live in the same household.
On Friday, the Ottawa County Department of Public Health announced a fourth person contracted the virus. All of them live in the same home, according to the Ottawa County Department of Public Health.
They are the first confirmed cases of measles in Ottawa County since 1991. The initial case was confirmed in April, with the two other people coming down with symptoms in the weeks since.
Since all four cases are linked in exposure, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services listed the county as undergoing a measles outbreak, but the Ottawa County Department of Public Health said the designation does not mean there is a new or increased risk of the virus spreading to neighbors. The state is not actively monitoring for more cases in Ottawa County, per its public database.
All four people remained home during the period where they were contagious, said health officials. No public exposure sites have been identified with these cases.
“This fourth case was an anticipated household contact, and the family's commitment to staying home during the monitoring period is the reason we have no new public exposures to announce today.” noted Dr. Gwendolyn Unzicker, medical director at the Ottawa County Department of Public Health.
Officials from Ottawa County and the state will continue to monitor for additional cases. If none are detected by the end of May, the outbreak is expected to be declared over.
Ottawa
Health officials confirm Ottawa County's first measles case since 1991
The county launched a webpage with information on measles, promising to update it with details on any developments.
Health officials encourage residents to check their vaccination status and watch for symptoms.
Measles symptoms include a high fever (possibly spiking above 104°F), cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes and a red blotchy rash that starts on the face. Symptoms usually appear 7 to 21 days after exposure, per health officials.
If you or someone in your home develops measles-like symptoms, you are encouraged to call your primary health provider or health system before leaving to receive care. That will allow health workers to prepare to best treat a potential measles patient.
Measles is highly contagious, approximately nine out of ten people who are not immune to it will catch the disease if exposed. The Ottawa County Department of Public Health said immunity to measles is defined as:
- Any child or adult who has received two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine
- A preschool-aged child who received one dose of the MMR vaccine
- Anyone who previously had measles
- Anyone born before 1957. It is presumed those people caught measles before a vaccine was developed.
The measles cases in Ottawa County are the 9th, 11th, 12th, and 14th cases in Michigan. Seven other cases are based in Washtenaw County, where state health officials are monitoring an outbreak of the disease. The initial patient was a person who had recently traveled from Florida and was unvaccinated, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Another case in Monroe County is believed to be tied to the Washtenaw County outbreak. The other two cases were people in Macomb County.
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