(WWJ) The measles outbreak in southeast Michigan has grown to 22 confirmed cases in Oakland and Wayne Counties, state and local health officials announced Monday.
Oakland County has 21 cases, while Wayne County has seen one confirmed case since March 13.
Infected individuals range in age from 11 to 63, officials said.
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact, and through the air.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says it is working closely with the Oakland and Wayne County health departments to identify possible exposure locations. Known exposure sites in Oakland County are listed at Oakgov.com/health. Additional sites of potential exposures, including those in Wayne County, may be identified as more information becomes available.
Oakland County health officials announced Monday there were 18 confirmed cases in the county, stemming from the first confirmed case in mid-March.
Speaking live on WWJ Tuesday afternoon, Lynn Sutfin with MDHHS urged everyone to get vaccinated, if they haven't already.
"Measles is very contagious," Sutfin said. "It is spread through the air, so if you cough or sneeze, it has about a two-hour hang-time in the air, so somebody who has not been vaccinated goes through that can come down with the measles very easliy."
Sutfin says some of the individuals who have been diagnosed with measles are a older and "may have missed out on that vaccination," depending on when they were born.
"But some individuals have made decisions not to be vaccinated because they have concerns," Sutfin said. "And also we have infants out there who can't be vaccinated until they're a little older, so they are very vulnerable to this disease as well."
A county in New York announced Tuesday it is banning unvaccinated minors from public places to fight a measles outbreak that has infected more than 150 people since October. When asked whether Michigan health officials would consider such a ban, Sutfin said that's not something they have discussed yet, but they are just encouraging everyone to get vaccinated.
The Wayne County Health Department offers walk-in vaccination at 33030 Van Born Road, Wayne on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 – 11 a.m. and 12:30 – 4 p.m. and on Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 3:30 – 7 p.m. Call 734-727-7101 for more information.