Measles Outbreak: Rockland Cases Rise Since Friday

NEW CITY, NY — The number of confirmed reported measles cases in Rockland County continues to climb. The county health department announced Monday that there are now 202 confirmed cases of measles in the county, up one from Friday.

The county declared a second state of emergency Thursday after the original one, which was halted by a restraining order, expired. It went into effect at midnight Friday and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. Saturday, May 25.

The orders include any person diagnosed with measles or exposed to a person diagnosed with measles must be excluded from indoor and outdoor places of public assembly in Rockland County for up to 21 days.

Failure to comply can result in a $2,000 fine per violation per day, the county said.

Read the entire emergency declaration here.

Officials have said they are worried that the outbreak will have spread even further during Passover, which ended Saturday. The outbreak in Rockland, as in Brooklyn and Queens, is centered in Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities.

Unvaccinated children continue to be the most vulnerable population — four out of five people who have been infected with the virus since the outbreak started in October, health officials said.

Vaccination rates for confirmed measles cases in Rockland County as of April 29:

• 80.7% have had 0 Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccinations
• 5.0% have had 1 MMR
• 3.0% have had 2 MMRs
• 11.4% unknown status

Age groups for the confirmed measles cases in Rockland County as of April 29:

• Less than 1 year old: 13.4%
• 1-3 years: 28.2%
• 4-6 years: 15.3%
• 7-18 years: 26.2%
• 19+ years: 16.8%

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