Health officials in New York City continue to report a rising measles outbreak in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.

Image/NYSDOH
Image/NYSDOH

In the past week, an additional 25 measles cases were reported, with 22 confirmed in the Williamsburg neighborhood.

This brings the outbreak total to 158 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens since October. Most of these cases have involved members of the Orthodox Jewish community.

The initial child with measles was unvaccinated and acquired measles on a visit to Israel, where a large outbreak of the disease is occurring. Since then, there have been additional people from Brooklyn and Queens who were unvaccinated and acquired measles while in Israel. People who did not travel were also infected in Brooklyn or Rockland County.

Israel health officials have reported from March 2018 through the end of January 2019, as a result of the disease was imported to Israel by a small number of tourists and visitors, who later infected unvaccinated population, more than 3400 individuals have been infected with measles.

In nearby Rockland County, the outbreak has risen to 145 since late September.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent measles. Anyone who has received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine is highly unlikely to get measles.

New York City health officials say a child should get a measles vaccine on or after their first birthday. The vaccine is combined with mumps and rubella vaccines into one vaccine called MMR (measles, mumps, rubella). A second dose of MMR vaccine is recommended before children enter school at 4 to 6 years of age. Infants ages 6 to 11 months should also receive MMR vaccine before travelling internationally.


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