Authorities are warning attendees of a recent auto show in Detroit that they may have been exposed to rubella, from an attendee who was possibly contagious at the time of the event. Those who are unsure about their vaccination status are advised to contact their health care providers.

Auto Show In Detroit

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is warning everyone who attended the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last Jan. 13 to 15 that they might have been exposed to measles. The warning comes after authorities from another state warned them that one of their residents who attended the event was diagnosed with rubella.

Evidently, the potential exposure occurred during a press review where thousands of journalists from all over the world gathered to interview executives and watch some vehicles being revealed.

Spokesperson for the MDHHS Lynn Sutfin stated that she is unaware of exactly which state the individual came from, but did say that it was possible that the individual was contagious while in Detroit. She further states that their efforts are out of an abundance of caution especially for pregnant women, for whom rubella may be particularly dangerous.

Rubella

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms may begin from 12 to 23 days after the exposure, but the ill person may be contagious for seven days before and seven days after the rashes begin to appear.

Rubella is particularly harmful for unvaccinated pregnant women because having rubella while pregnant may result in miscarriage or serious birth defects. That said, it can be prevented with a vaccine, which is included in the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine that is typically included in most childhood routine vaccinations.

As such, anyone who thinks they might have been exposed to rubella during the event is encouraged to contact their health care provider, especially if they are unsure about their vaccination status. According to authorities, the last time rubella, also called German measles, was reported in Michigan was in 2007.