Rockland Up to 140 Confirmed Measles Cases

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The number of confirmed measles cases in the county has climbed by one. Rockland health officials are investigating four suspected cases of measles and said they have now confirmed 140 cases since the outbreak began five months ago.

Rockland's outbreak is centered in its Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Most affected are yeshivas in the communities of Monsey, New Square and Spring Valley. Nine yeshivas that had not complied with the orders to keep un- or under-vaccinated students home and provide health officials with updated vaccination records were fined about $70,000 in December.

So far, the county has lifted restrictions on 31 schools whose vaccination rates have met goals but 28 remained under the rules as of March 1.

The measles outbreak in Williamsburg and Borough Park's Orthodox Jewish community has almost caught up.

The New York City Health Department reported Thursday that 108 children and 13 adults have been sickened by the potentially fatal disease. NYC officials reported 21 newly confirmed cases and said they stemmed from one unidentified Williamsburg yeshiva that did not comply with the city's exclusion order, which mandates unvaccinated children with symptoms not be allowed to go to schools.

Rockland had nine cases confirmed in February.

SEE ALSO:

• National Measles Outbreak: NY County Reaches 130 Cases
• Measles Outbreak: 88 Cases In Rockland, 34 In Brooklyn