Measles case confirmed in Metro Airport traveler

(WJBK) - For the first time this year there is a case of measles in Michigan. 

The traveler from Washtenaw County was contagious. Health officials say anyone who was at the north terminal at customs or baggage claim on March 6th between 2 and 5 p.m. should go to the doctor if they start develop symptoms which begin with a fever, runny nose and red eyes and followed by spots in your mouth and a raised red body rash. 

"With the sheer amount of travel we have outside the country, people come back having been exposed to measles and develop here," said Dr. Matthew Sims, Beaumont Hospital.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the state's first case of measles. Because the person, who was abroad flew into metro airport, at this point it is not clear how many people may have been exposed.

Sims, Beaumont's director of infectious disease research says the risk goes up when the vaccination rates go down - something we are now seeing across the country.

FOX 2: What do you mean by exposure, is it standing next to you like this? 

"Yes breathing on each other basically, that is the major exposure," Sims said. "It is spread through contact or respiratory secretions." 

Measles may be rare - but Simms says it is easily spread and vaccination is the best way to prevent the disease, which can be a mild case for some and very dangerous and even deadly for others.

The only treatment right now for the virus - supportive care.

"Just to be aware and watching for the symptoms," he said. "Again we don't have any specific medicine to treat it."