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Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Michigan health officials miss crucial notification window for most 2025 measles cases
When measles cases pop up, notifying the public quickly of exposure sites is critical. That's because people without immunity to measles — those who are unvaccinated or immunocompromised — can be treated with post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent the most severe complications of infection, but only if the treatment can be given fast enough, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A single dose of the measles, mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine can be administered within three days of exposure to protect a person from severe illness. If the three-day window is missed or if a person can't have the MMR vaccine, a treatment called immunoglobulin also can be given within six days of exposure. Once that six-day window has passed, however, the only thing people can do is monitor for measles symptoms for 21 days and report them to public health officials if they appear. In just three of Michigan's nine confirmed measles cases in 2025 — identified April 2 in Kent County, March 14 in Oakland County and April 14 in Ingham County — public announcements were made within six days, in time for immunoglobulin to be an option for people who were exposed, according to a Detroit Free Press review of state and local health department data. In five of the nine measles cases reported in Michigan this year — four in Montcalm County and one in Macomb County — there was no public notification of exposure sites. The remaining case — involving a second 1-year-old child in Ingham County — the public announcement came too late for post-exposure prophylaxis to be given to those who were exposed. The U.S. is on track for the worst year for measles in decades, said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical executive, as 884 cases have been confirmed in 29 states, including nine in Michigan, as of April 24. 'The epidemiology of measles in our country is changing before our eyes,' she said, noting that vaccination rates have steadily fallen since 2000, making more people vulnerable to the highly contagious virus. As many as 20% of children who contract measles go on to be hospitalized. Some people develop neurologic complications like encephalitis or swelling around the brain, and can have lifelong problems as a result, including hearing loss or seizure disorders. Lynn Sutfin, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said several factors can delay the identification of measles infections and public notification of exposure sites. "Measles cases are often unique and circumstances under which we get reporting varies for each case," she said. 'It's often difficult to get people within an appropriate PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) window, particularly within 72 hours of symptom onset." Since measles symptoms typically present first with runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and fever, people can spread the virus before they know they have it and can confuse measles with a respiratory infection. A person with measles is contagious for up to four days before the telltale rash begins, according to the CDC. "There might not be suspicion of measles until the rash develops," Sutfin said. "This means that public communications indicating a small window for (post-exposure prophylaxis) do not necessarily imply delays in testing or diagnosis. Instead, they may reflect that the individual's exposure occurred earlier in the infectious period, which is common given the subtlety of early measles symptoms.' Once measles is suspected, the state Bureau of Laboratories typically is able to turn around a test result within three days, said Liana Stebbins, a spokesperson for MDHHS. Two of those days often are tied up in shipping the sample to the lab. And sometimes, that timeline can be slowed. Among the reasons, Sutfin said: Problems with testing. Specimens might not have been initially collected appropriately or weren't of sufficient quality. Shipping delays of the specimens to the Bureau of Laboratories. Health care providers sometimes send specimens to commercial labs, which can have longer turnaround times than the state lab in returning test results. Delays in notification to public health from a health care provider. The details that are provided when measles cases are publicly announced can vary widely. One of Michigan's measles cases this year — confirmed April 18 in Montcalm County — was not publicly announced at all. For other cases, scant information has been released to the public. And for yet another subset of cases, a robust list of exposure sites, and specifics about vaccination status, age and sex of the people infected was disclosed. The Ingham County Health Department, for example, detailed that both of its confirmed measles cases this year involved 1-year-old children — a boy and a girl — who each had gotten one dose of the MMR vaccine. It also provided a list of potential measles exposure sites. But the department did not include as an exposure site the preschool where the first infected child in Ingham County attended classes. That's because the school's leaders were "very cooperative in terms of giving us a list of the students in the school, the staff, the people who have been there," said Dr. Nike Shoyinka, the county's medical health officer. Shoyinka said health department nurses were confident they were able to reach out directly to the all of the people who were exposed. "We have the information that we need already," she said. More: What are the symptoms of measles? And other answers to common questions. More: Montcalm County has Michigan's first measles outbreak of 2025 And when the state's first outbreak since 2019 was identified April 16 in Montcalm County, neither the Mid-Michigan District Health Department nor MDHHS issued any kind of public announcement right away. Instead, notification went out to health care providers via email. The following day, the Free Press confirmed the outbreak and published a story. Soon after, a public release was issued to news organizations. No details were provided about public exposure sites, the sex or ages of any of the four people from Montcalm County who were infected as part of the outbreak. Their vaccination status also was not released. Those details were excluded from a Macomb County measles case announced April 4 as well. What was disclosed, however, was that the Montcalm County outbreak and the individual Macomb County case all had been traced to travel to Ontario, Canada. Nearly 1,000 measles cases in Ontario have been linked to a Mennonite wedding in New Brunswick province, the CBC reported. Bagdasarian did not answer a question from the Free Press about whether those Michigan cases also were among members of the Mennonite, Amish or Anabaptist communities. Instead, she said: "When we're dealing with such small numbers, it's really important that we are maintaining people's confidentiality in public health. It's so important that people want to work with us, that they feel comfortable sharing their personal information with us. ... "For each of these cases, the local health departments in both of those jurisdictions are hard at work doing contact tracing, making sure that they're doing in-depth interviews with anyone involved in those cases to see where exposures could have happened. So when we say we don't think that there are public exposures that we need to announce, that means after in-depth interviews and conversations, we don't think that there is information that we need to share with the public. "For folks who think we're trying to hide anything, we are just trying to protect our communities, protect our relationships, make sure nobody feels intimidated, discriminated against, threatened." Bagdasarian said there isn't always a need to inform the public of measles infections. "If there was an exposure that impacts the larger public, and we need to notify people that that an exposure happened here or Detroit Metro Airport, or a grocery store, or wherever ... that is our duty to inform, and we will inform," she said. It is pivotal, Bagdasarian said, to ensure people take the measles seriously, and consider getting immunized to protect themselves and their loved ones from the virus. "This is not a mild childhood rash we're talking about," she said. Without immunity, 90% of people who are exposed to measles will get infected. "We also know that pregnant women who contract measles can undergo stillbirth or miscarriage," Bagdasarian said. A measles infection is like a hit to the immune system, she said, making people more likely to develop secondary infections such as pneumonia. So far this year, three people have died from measles in the U.S. "People don't really think about measles as being something that can have long term complications, but it absolutely can," Bagdasarian said. The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated, said Ryan Malosh, director of the division of immunizations for MDHHS. Of the U.S. cases so far this year, 97% have been among people who were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC. Although two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective in preventing measles, immunization rates in Michigan have continually fallen since 2020, Malosh said. About 79% of Michigan children ages 19-35 months old have been vaccinated for measles, he said, compared with 85% five years ago. "We've seen a pretty substantial decline in vaccination coverage, and particularly for measles, what we know is in order to protect communities from outbreaks of measles, you need to have vaccine coverage of about 95%," Malosh said. "So, we are well below that number now in Michigan." Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@ Subscribe to the Free Press. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Health leaders miss crucial window for most Michigan measles cases
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Baby with measles exposed others on Michigan State campus, at farmers market, church, more
A 1-year-old girl from Ingham County is the latest in a growing number of people from Michigan — and across the U.S. — to contract the measles virus this year, according to county health leaders. The baby, who recently traveled out of state, may have exposed others to the extremely contagious virus from April 4-8 at multiple sites in Okemos, Lansing and East Lansing, including on the Michigan State University campus. Anyone who was at the following locations on these dates and times may have been exposed, according to the Ingham County Health Department: Friday, April 4: 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Tractor Supply Co., 5241 W. Grand River Ave., Lansing. Saturday, April 5: 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Farmers Market inside Meridian Mall, 1982 W. Grand River Ave., Okemos. 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. at Aldi, 5165 Marsh Road, Okemos. Sunday, April 6: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Towar Hart Baptist Church, 6157 Towar Ave., East Lansing. The child spent time in the infant room during the service. 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. at Toscana Restaurant, 3170 E Michigan Ave., Lansing. Tuesday, April 8: 5:30 p.m.-7:35 p.m. at the MSU Community Music School, 4930 Hagadorn Road, East Lansing. The child was in a bathroom at the school. 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m. in the emergency department of the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, 1215 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing. Measles is so contagious, 90% of people without immunity to the virus from vaccination with the measles, mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine or previous infection will become ill after exposure, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported. The virus remains in the air for as long as two hours after a person with the infection leaves a room. People can be contagious four days before the telltale rash appears and up to four days after the rash starts. Health leaders urge anyone who may have been exposed to monitor for symptoms for 21 days after the date of potential exposure. If symptoms develop, call ahead before visiting a doctor, urgent care center, or hospital emergency department to ensure precautions are taken to avoid exposing others. 'We are closely monitoring this case and taking it very seriously,' said Dr. Nike Shoyinka, Ingham County's medical health officer, in a statement. 'Measles is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications, especially in young children, pregnant individuals and those with weakened immune systems." According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles symptoms typically start within 7-14 days of exposure, but also have been known to appear as long as 21 days after initial exposure and can include: Fever, which may rise above 104 degrees. Respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, cough. Red, watery eyes that can develop into pink eye or conjunctivitis. Two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots, known as Koplik spots, may develop on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash that is red, raised and blotchy appears. It usually begins on the face and spreads to trunk, arms and legs. The baby girl from Ingham County is the fifth person in Michigan to contract the measles since March, the state health department reported. The other Michigan cases involved: An adult from Oakland County who traveled internationally with an unknown vaccination history was the state's first measles case of 2025. The person exposed others March 8-10 at a restaurant in Rochester and at Henry Ford Rochester Hospital. A traveler from Kent County who potentially exposed hundreds of other people to measles March 24-28 when visiting Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, along with a restaurant in Kentwood and a Corewell Health facility in East Grand Rapids. An adult from Macomb County who traveled to the Windsor-Essex County area of Ontario, Canada. The case was announced April 4, and the person is not believed to have gone out in public while infectious, so there are no known exposure sites. A Montcalm County resident whose measles case was announced April 9 by the Mid-Michigan District Health Department. The person recently traveled out of the state, but no details were released about possible exposure sites. As of April 10, there have been 712 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. this year in 24 states — more than double the number of cases nationally in all of 2024, when there were 285, according to the CDC. Of the cases so far this year, about 70% were among children and teenagers, and 97% were among people who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. More: Michigan's 1st 2025 measles case reported, likely exposing others at 2 Rochester locations More: Traveler with measles exposed others at Detroit Metro, Grand Rapids airports: What to know Measles can cause serious illness, long-term disability and death in people of all ages. So far this year, 79 people in the U.S. with confirmed measles cases have been hospitalized for treatment — that's about 11% of the 712 confirmed infections nationally. The vast majority — 65 of the 79 who were hospitalized — were younger than the age of 20, according to the CDC. About 1 in 20 children with measles develops pneumonia. Roughly 1 out of every 1,000 children who have measles infections will also have encephalitis. Brain swelling from encephalitis can lead to convulsions, permanent hearing loss, intellectual disability and death, according to the CDC. Anywhere from 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children with measles dies from respiratory or neurologic complications from the virus. People who contract measles during pregnancy also are more likely to develop pneumonia and be hospitalized. The virus can cause miscarriage and stillbirth as well as trigger preterm birth and lead to lower birth weights, according to the CDC. The CDC has confirmed two deaths from measles in the U.S. this year. A third death remains under investigation. Make sure you and your loved ones are fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses are about 97% effective at preventing measles. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following when it comes to the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine: A first dose for children at 12 months-15 months old, with a booster dose administered between ages 4 and 6. Anyone born during or after 1957 without evidence of immunity against measles or documentation of having been vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine should get vaccinated. The second dose should be given no sooner than 28 days after the first. People exposed to measles who cannot document immunity against the virus should get post-exposure prophylaxis — a dose of the vaccine to potentially provide protection within 72 hours of initial exposure, or immunoglobulin within six days of exposure. The CDC changed its recommendations in 1989 from one dose of the MMR vaccine to two doses, which provides longer-lasting and more robust protection. People born between 1957-1989 who have had just a single dose of the vaccine may be at a higher risk of contracting the virus in an outbreak setting. Ingham County residents can get an MMR vaccine at the health department's immunization clinic, 303 S. Cedar St., Lansing. (Use entrance No. 3 when entering the building and go to the second floor.) Walk in hours are: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays 1-4 p.m. Thursdays. MMR vaccines also are available through primary care providers and pharmacies. Medicaid and most private insurance plans cover the MMR vaccine at no cost. Low- to no-cost vaccines also are available at local public health department offices. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program also may receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program at no cost. To learn more, go to: Vaccines for Children (VFC): Information for Parents | CDC. The Oakland County Health Division offices in Southfield and Pontiac also have MMR vaccines available 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays, and 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays at: North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East, Pontiac. South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield. In Macomb County, call 586-469-5372 or visit the Immunization Clinics webpage to learn more about vaccination services available. Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@ Subscribe to the Free Press. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan baby with measles exposed others at MSU, stores, church, more
Axios
24-03-2025
- Health
- Axios
What to know about measles in the DMV
The growing measles outbreak in the U.S. has infected over 300 people, including several in the DMV, exceeding the number of total cases in the country last year. Why it matters: The outbreak comes at a time of falling vaccination rates and declining trust in public health institutions. It's an early test of how President Trump's administration — and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — will handle public health emergencies and infectious disease surveillance. State of play: Outbreaks of the highly infectious, airborne disease are happening in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and elsewhere. Last week, two cases were confirmed in Maryland from Prince George's County residents who traveled abroad together. Other new cases were identified at Dulles Airport, plus exposures reported in D.C. on Friday. DC Health is working with the Maryland and Virginia health departments to track cases and infection risks. All U.S. states require children to have the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine to attend school. In the DMV, vaccine rates are high among kindergarteners, per a 2024 report in Education Week, at 92% in D.C., 94% in Virginia, and 97% in Maryland. Zoom in: As cases proliferate, medical professionals are releasing updated guidelines about who should get vaccinations, boosters and antibody tests. One Medical, a large DMV health provider operated by Amazon, offers vaccine appointments for adults who don't have evidence of immunity. Two doses of the vaccine are recommended for university students, international travelers, healthcare workers, immunocompromised individuals and their close contacts, and those with HIV. Boosters are recommended for those vaccinated before 1968 who may have received less effective versions of the vaccine. One Medical labs also offer tests to measure the level of antibodies to measles in a person's blood, which can determine vaccination needs. Threat level: High, if you've never been vaccinated. If 10 unvaccinated people are in contact with someone who has measles, nine of them will become infected, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. While measles is a minor illness for most, it can lead to serious illness or death. Complications can include acute encephalitis that causes brain inflammation, blindness, ear infections, diarrhea and pneumonia. An estimated one to three children of every 1,000 who become infected with measles will die, per the CDC. Flashback: The disease was officially eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 after an effective vaccination program.
