Alarming health news has surfaced from Detroit, where a 4-year-old has been confirmed as the latest carrier of measles, marking Michigan's fifth case of 2024. The Detroit Health Department, which documented the finding on Tuesday, is now sending out a citywide warning of potential exposure at several healthcare facilities, as reported by The Detroit News.

The unvaccinated youngster's diagnosis has spurred officials to issue a containment strategy, advising locals who visited three specific locations in early April to be on high alert. The locations include Acadian Urgent Care, Rite Health Pharmacy, and the emergency room at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, with exposure times ranging from noon to 4 p.m. on April 1st and from 5 to 10 a.m. on April 3rd.

In the scramble to address the measles case, Denise Fair Razo, the Chief Public Health Officer at the Detroit Health Department, underscored the gravity of the situation. "While this case appears to be a single isolated case at this time, we want everyone to be aware that measles is so contagious that 90 percent of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles will become infected," Fair Razo stated in a Detroit Health Department announcement, a sentiment echoed by FOX 2 Detroit.

Measles' high transmissibility is a known factor, but the ease with which it can spread to the unvaccinated adds a compounding layer of concern. This particular Detroit child, who had no recent history of international travel, has baffled health officials trying to trace the origin of their exposure. "The child had to have some sort of exposure. Just trying to figure out where that was is the work that our communicable disease division is doing right now," Dr. Claudia Richardson, medical director of the Detroit Health Department, told The Detroit News. Notably, this is the first measles case in Oakland County since 2019 and it follows two connected cases in Washtenaw County, as mentioned by WWJ Newsradio.

To mitigate the spread, health officials are recommending people monitor themselves for symptoms up to 21 days post possible exposure and to consult a doctor if symptoms arise. These symptoms include a high fever, a cough, a runny nose, and a unique rash. To seek further information, Detroit residents are advised to visit the Detroit Health Department or MDHHS websites.