Measles Outbreak: Up To 122 Cases In Rockland County

Four more cases of measles were confirmed in Rockland County in the past day. There have now been 122 confirmed cases of measles in Rockland County since the outbreak began in October.

Also, there are 11 suspected cases that Rockland County health officials are monitoring, up from five reported Wednesday.

Most of the cases in the county — 81 percent — have been in those 18 years of age and younger, said John Lyon, Director of Strategic Communications in the County Executive's Office. Several of the people who caught the measles have had complications, including hospitalizations and premature labor.

The measles outbreak in Rockland is particularly affecting residents of Spring Valley, New Square, and Monsey. Due to Rockland County's small geographic size, however, exposure to the measles may occur anywhere in Rockland. People may shop, dine, and run errands around the county before they realize they are ill, but are contagious.

If you are ill with a fever, rash, or conjunctivitis – help protect the community by staying home, not having visitors, and not going out in public.

Every confirmed case of measles is the subject of a full epidemiological investigation. Inspectors from the county Health Department interview those who are ill and retrace their steps to make notifications about possible measles exposure when necessary.

Also, health officials early on imposed a rule requiring public and private schools where there were high rates of unvaccinated children to keep those children home until the outbreak was over or the school's vaccination rate had risen to a designated level. In early January officials upped that to a 95 percent rate, which affected 59 schools. So far, Lyon said, 29 schools have met that level.

In addition, since the outbreak began in October, more than 14,000 MMR vaccinations have been given in Rockland by New York state's health department, the county health department, community healthcare providers and private physicians, Lyon said.

The best way to prevent measles is vaccination. Also, high community vaccination rates help protect people who cannot get vaccinated because they are too young or have specific health conditions.

Free MMR vaccines are available by calling:

• The Rockland County Department of Health at 845-364-2497 or 845-364-2520 to schedule an appointment to get a free MMR vaccine at the Pomona health complex.
• The Rockland County Department of Health Spring Valley Family Planning Clinic is also providing MMR vaccines, by appointment to Family Planning patients. Family Planning Clinic patients can call 845-364-2531 to schedule an appointment.

In addition, MMR vaccines are available at local health care providers or by calling a local federally qualified health center, such as Refuah and Hudson River Health Care. The federally qualified health centers see patients on a sliding fee scale and by appointment. They may require patients new to their centers to have a well visit first, before a vaccine can be given.

The Health Department is asking all health care providers to immediately report all cases of suspect measles to the Rockland County Department of Health Communicable Disease Program staff by calling (845) 364-2997 during normal business hours or (845) 364-8600 after hours/weekends.

Rockland is not alone. In 2018, 349 individual cases of measles were confirmed in 26 states and the District of Columbia, the second-greatest number of annual cases reported since measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. (The greatest was 667 cases reported in 2014).

Measles outbreaks related to unvaccinated travelers from Israel are ongoing in the tri-state area. As of Jan. 23, there have been 62 confirmed cases of measles in the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn since October. It is considered ongoing. The New Jersey outbreak, now considered over since no new cases have been confirmed in more than 40 days, had 33 cases between October and January.

SEE: Measles Outbreak: Cases Keep Going Up In Rockland

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