Oakland County warns of possible measles exposure at Rochester Hills medical office

ROCHESTER HILLS — A measles exposure site has been confirmed in Rochester Hills, according to the Oakland County Health Division.

Officials say anyone who visited the medical office building at 3950 S. Rochester Road, near South Boulevard, between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. June 3 may have been exposed.

At press time, Oakland County had one confirmed case of measles so far this year, while Michigan had 10 confirmed cases of measles, according to a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services dashboard last updated June 2.

“We’re ready for the next cases, because they are coming,” said Kate Guzman, a registered nurse and public health administrator for Oakland County. “Measles is sweeping across the nation. The peak of the cases in the southwest seems to be subsiding, but we still have cases moving across the country. And it is not just limited to nationwide. It’s a global outbreak between travel within the United States, travel internationally, and travel within our state, so we’re definitely expecting more cases of measles in Oakland County.”

Measles can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the room.

High-risk individuals — including those who are pregnant, unvaccinated children under age 5 and those who have a weakened immune system — who believe they were exposed can seek immune globulin treatment, which health division officials said is effective only if administered within six days of exposure.

Oakland County spokesperson Bill Mullan said those not at high risk should monitor for symptoms for 21 days — through June 24. If symptoms develop, they should call ahead before seeking medical attention.

“If people are going to the doctor, they should call them ahead of time to let them know they are concerned about exposure to measles. That way, preparations can be made for their visit at the doctor’s office,” Mullan explained.

Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact and through the air.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure. In mild cases, measles involves high fever, cough, runny nose and, at times, a raised body rash, which will start at the head and face and then move to the rest of the body. The disease, Guzman explained, can also result in serious complications, including hospitalization, pneumonia, encephalitis and even death.

Measles is preventable with a vaccine, but health officials say vaccination rates have declined in Michigan and the U.S.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in all vaccinations post COVID-19 pandemic,” said Guzman. “At the root of the measles cases we are seeing across the county is really a decline in vaccination rates for all types of vaccine preventable diseases. We usually look at measles as that canary in the coalmine that is an indicator for us that something is falling apart in the public health system, AKA, the vaccine protection that we build as communities. Measles outbreaks are the first, because it is so infectious. The fear, in public health, is that we will see more vaccine-preventable diseases on the rise as well.”

The health division recommends unvaccinated individuals ages 1 and older receive measles vaccination. Anyone who doesn’t have a record of two MMR vaccines, those unsure if they’ve been vaccinated, or those who are unsure if they’ve had measles in the past, should contact their health care provider.

“Vaccination remains our best defense against measles and is highly efficient at protecting individuals and preventing outbreaks. We urge Michigan residents, especially those planning to travel, to check their vaccination status and get the MMR vaccine if needed. Contact your health care provider as soon as possible if symptoms develop,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services chief medical executive, said in a statement.

The county health division can administer the MMR vaccine at its health centers in Pontiac and Southfield.

The Oakland County Health Division’s Nurse on Call can be reached 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at (800) 848-5533 or by email at noc@oakgov.com.