Measles Outbreak: Officials Vaccinate 47 At Palisades Center

WEST NYACK, NY — Rockland County has 91 confirmed cases of measles as of Wednesday, the same as on Monday. Plus, there are now only four suspected cases that the county's Department of Health is continuing to investigate, down from eight on Tuesday.

Another 47 Rockland residents received a measles vaccination when health officials held a free measles vaccine clinic at the Palisades Center Mall Tuesday afternoon.

Since the beginning of the measles outbreak in October, more than 11,100 MMR vaccinations have been given out by the health department, community health partners like Refuah, and private physicians.

The county's measles outbreak is so big that it accounts for more than one-third of the cases in the entire United States so far in 2018.

Have any idea of how highly contagious the measles virus is? An un-vaccinated or -immune person who shares close space with an infected person who sneezes or coughs has a 90 percent chance of contracting the illness. The measles virus lives in the nose and throat mucous of an infected person.

The virus is hearty, and can live for up to two hours in an airspace where an infected person coughed or sneezed. And people who have measles can spread it from four days before a rash appears to four days after it has cleared.

Globally, measles cases saw a 30 percent uptick in 2017 and killed an estimated 110,000 people, according to the World Health Organization.

With the Rockland outbreak continuing to swell, all schools within the Village of New Square, and any school in Spring Valley and Monsey (the geographical area affected by the measles outbreak) where fewer than 80 percent of students are vaccinated must still keep un- or under-vaccinated students home until 21 days have passed since the last confirmed measles case in Rockland.

That could be months.

In this outbreak, even those born before 1957, and those who have received two doses of measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, might get measles, though they have always been considered immune. It's a very small chance, and it would lead to a much less severe case that would be much less likely to spread to others.

To help prevent its further spread, county health officials advise anyone who may have been exposed and who have symptoms consistent with measles to contact their health care provider, a local clinic, or a local emergency department before going for care. This will help to prevent others at these facilities from being exposed to the illness.

Residents can get more information about measles by clicking here and by calling the New York State Department of Health toll free Measles Information Line at (888) 364-4837.

SEE ALSO: Measles Outbreak: Confirmed In 25 Other States As Well As NY