Latest news with #Bagdasarian
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
State officials warn about the dangers of tick-bites
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)—With tick-borne diseases on the rise, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services () is encouraging people to be aware when they are outdoors. The MDHHS reports that the cases of these diseases, such as disease and , are increasing across the state. Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common tick-borne disease in the state. Cases have increased by 168% over the last five years. The state recorded 1,215 cases in 2024, compared to 452 cases in 2020. Anaplasmosis, caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is the second most common tick-borne disease. Cases have increased by nearly five times in the last five years, with 82 cases in 2024 compared to 17 in 2020. The disease is particularly common in northern parts of Michigan. MDHHS says both diseases are transmitted by Ixodes scapularis, commonly known as the blacklegged or deer tick. Symptoms usually arise one to two weeks after a bite, often after being in wooded or brushy areas where ticks commonly live. Early symptoms may include fever, chills, rash, headache, fatigue and muscle aches. Early treatment with antibiotics can decrease the risk of serious complications. 'Preventing tick bites is the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease and anaplasmosis,' said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan, in a news release sent to 6 News. 'If you find a tick attached to your body, promptly remove it. Monitor your health, and if you experience fever, rash, muscle or joint aches, or other symptoms, or if you suspect a tick has been attached for more than 24 hours, consult with your medical provider,' added Bagdasarian. Avoid tick-infested areas As ticks live in grassy, brushy, and wooded areas, individuals should walk in the center of trails to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush, and leaf litter at trail edges Keep an eye on your pets Dogs and cats can encounter ticks outdoors and bring them into the home. Talk with your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products. Use insect repellent Apply an EPA-registered repellent on exposed skin. Find a repellent product that is right for you. Treat clothes (especially pants, socks, and shoes) with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact, or buy clothes that are pre-treated. Do not use permethrin directly on skin. Always follow the manufacturer`s instructions when applying repellents. Perform daily tick checks Always check for ticks on yourself and your animals after being outdoors, including in your yard. Inspect all body surfaces carefully and remove attached ticks carefully with tweezers. To remove a tick, grasp the tick firmly and as closely to the skin as possible. With steady, even pressure, pull the tick`s body upward and away from the skin. Cleanse the area with an antiseptic. Be sure to bathe and shower Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks. Wash clothing in hot water and dry on high heat to kill ticks in clothing. If you need help identifying a tick, you can email photos of it to for identification free of charge. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health experts urge Michiganders to vaccinate amid measles cases
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – are putting a call out to Michiganders, urging them to take action with nine confirmed measles cases now in Michigan. The state is in the middle of its first measles outbreak since 2019. Experts define an outbreak as three or more new cases from one incident—which is what happened in Montcalm County. On Wednesday, Ingham County confirmed its . 'We're really here to sound the alarm because we are seeing some real consequences from declining childhood vaccination rates,' said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan. As confirmed measles cases continue to increase in West Texas, New Mexico, and here in Michigan, experts are seeing a decrease in vaccinations. 'Vaccine-preventable diseases are a threat. Make no mistake about that,' said Veronica Valentine McNally, President of Franny Strong Foundation and Founder of the I Vaccinate Campaign. As of March, Michigan health officials say only 79% of children ages 19 to 35 months had gotten the MMR vaccine that protects against measles. That's down from 85% in March 2020. 'In order to protect communities from outbreaks of measles, you need to have vaccine coverage of about 95%,' said Ryan Malosh, Director of the Division of Immunizations for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Ingham County's MMR vaccine rate is only about 83% as of the last quarterly report. Jackson County sits around the same level and Eaton County reports only 80%. 'Often when I'm talking about measles, I'm talking about it as being the most transmissible disease that we deal with in modern medicine,' said Dr. Bagdasarian. If you visited the Frandor location for any reason on the evening of April 15, you're going to want to keep an eye out for measles symptoms. Officials initially had the exposure window from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., but that has now been corrected to 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Other include Aldi in Okemos, the Okemos Farmer's Market, and the MSU Community Music School. In Lansing, officials are actively monitoring Toscana Restaurant, Tractor Supply on Grand River Avenue, and the UM Health-Sparrow Emergency Department as well. RELATED: Possible measles case in Eaton Co., potential public exposure 'Measles can remain airborne in very, very fine particles…for about two hours,' said Dr. Bagdasarian. Malosh warns that the illness is more contagious than many well-known sicknesses, such as the flu and COVID-19. 'If a case of measles is exposed to a group of folks that are completely unvaccinated, on average that one case will lead to about 12 to 18 additional cases. With the flu, that number is about 1 1/2 to 2 additional cases,' said Malosh. For the latest measles updates and information, visit the . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Michigan confirms first measles outbreak since 2019
April 18 (UPI) -- Michigan health officials have confirmed the state's first measles outbreak of the year and its first outbreak of the highly contagious disease since 2019. The announcement comes as the United States is has seen spiking measles cases this year among the unvaccinated. The Michigan Department of Health Services said in a statement Thursday that an measles outbreak, defined as three or more infections, has been confirmed in Montcalm County, located northeast of Grand Rapids. The county has a total of three cases, which brings the state's total to seven, it said. The outbreak is linked to an outbreak of hundreds of cases in Ontario, Canada, and is not associated with any other cases in Michigan, it said. The identities of the patients and their vaccination status were not made public. "This outbreak underscores how contagious measles is and how quickly it can spread," Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical executive, said in a statement. According to state health statistics, nearly a quarter of Montcalm residents have not received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. "The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine remains our best defense, and two doses of MMR offer 97% protection against measles," Bagdasarian said. "We urge all Michigan residents to check their vaccination records to ensure they are up to date with the MMR vaccine." Michigan confirmed its first measles infection of the year and the first since July of last year on March 14. Health officials said the patient was an adult with recent overseas travel. Their vaccination status was unknown. There have been hundreds of confirmed cases of measles in the United States this year. According to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 712 confirmed measles cases and three deaths in 24 states as of April 10. There have been seven outbreaks of three or more cases so far this year, accounting for 93% of all measles cases. Regarding the vaccination status of the patients, 97% were either unvaccinated against measles or their vaccination status was unknown. The vast majority of the cases were confirmed in West Texas. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services on Tuesday, it has confirmed 561 measles cases since late January, up 20 cases from four days earlier. Two of the three deaths caused by measles this year occurred in school-aged children in Texas who were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions, state health officials said. The virus has been spreading predominantly among unvaccinated children and youth in Texas, where school-age children can be exempt from mandatory vaccines for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. More than 360 of Texas' cases come from Gaines County, where nearly 18% of K-12 students were exempt from at least one vaccine, making it one of the counties with the highest exemption rates in the state. At on Gaines County school, nearly half of all students were exempted from at least one vaccine. In 2024, there were a total of 285 measles cases throughout the United States. Since 2000, only 2019 saw more measles cases than this year, with 1,274 infections, according to the CDC.
