Rockland Measles Outbreak: 5 New Cases This Week

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Five more cases of measles reported since Monday bring the total for Rockland's four-month outbreak to 135 confirmed cases. In addition, health officials are monitoring three suspected cases.

The Department of Health is holding a free MMR vaccine clinic tonight, Wednesday, from 5:30- 7:30 p.m. at 110 Bethune Blvd. in Spring Valley.

Measles is not only a dangerous disease, it may affect the body's immune system for years, leaving people more vulnerable to other infectious illnesses, according to new research.

Complications from measles include pneumonia, blindness, deafness, ear infections, croup and encephalitis, which can lead to convulsions and cognitive impairments. Babies are the most likely to die from measles. Pregnant women risk damage to the fetus.

The airborne virus can linger for up to four hours in a place where an infected person has been. And people who catch it can walk around without symptoms for up to three weeks.

Someone with the highly contagious virus can infect a dozen or more people. Compare that to Ebola, where one case usually leads to two more, according to Vox.

Before mass vaccination, measles infected more than 95 percent of all children and was responsible for more than 4 million deaths each year around the world, according to a 2017 article in the Journal of Infection.

Most of Rockland's confirmed measles cases have been children.

• 82 percent have had 0 MMRs
• 3 percent have had 1 MMR
• 5 percent have had 2 MMRs
• 10 percent unknown status

The measles outbreak in Rockland County mostly affects the Ultra-Orthodox community in Spring Valley, New Square and Monsey. That community in Rockland has low immunization rates, although local rabbis told county health officials there is no proscription against vaccines.

The new cases are the first ones reported since Feb. 1.

The news of the newest cases exasperated Rockland County Executive Ed Day.

Image via Shutterstock

SEE:

• National Measles Outbreak: NY County Reaches 130 Cases
• Measles May Make You Vulnerable To Other Deadly Diseases

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