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The New York State Division of Well being has reported a case of measles in a Lengthy Island youngster, the state’s first case confirmed exterior of New York Metropolis this 12 months.
The Well being Division introduced the case on Tuesday, describing the affected person as a Suffolk County resident below the age of 5. The kid was unvaccinated, in accordance to the Suffolk County Division of Well being Providers. The announcement follows two circumstances of measles confirmed in infants in New York Metropolis earlier this 12 months, bringing the state’s complete variety of measles circumstances in 2025 to 3.
Measles is a extremely contagious respiratory illness that’s preventable by way of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. For many who are unvaccinated, notably kids, the illness can result in severe issues and even demise.
New York’s latest measles circumstances have emerged amid a quickly rising outbreak on the Texas-New Mexico border, which has resulted in two deaths. Different measles outbreaks have been reported in a dozen jurisdictions throughout the nation this 12 months, together with in Georgia and New Jersey.
The Lengthy Island measles affected person is being handled at Cohen Kids’s Medical Heart in Queens, which is a part of Northwell Well being, in response to public well being officers. The state and native well being departments warned the general public of at the very least two potential public measles exposures on the hospital from the case. Members of the general public who visited the hospital’s pediatric emergency division from Mar. 3 to Mar. 4, or the Drugs 3 inpatient unit from Mar. 3 to Mar. 6, could also be vulnerable to a measles publicity. Guests who imagine they might have been uncovered ought to contact their native well being division, or attain out to their physician or pediatrician.
The kid didn’t attend daycare or college whereas infectious, and different potential exposures are being assessed, in response to the native well being division.
“We’re actively working with public well being officers below established publicity protocols to make sure no additional circumstances come up from this incident,” Northwell Well being spokesperson Joseph Kemp stated in an announcement. “The scenario underscores the essential significance of vaccinations, together with the MMR vaccine, and the necessity for them to assist stop ailments like measles and decrease the danger of spreading these ailments.”
Public well being officers urged residents to make sure that they’re up-to-date on measles vaccinations.
“Measles could be very severe. It’s far more than only a rash as issues can embody pneumonia and irritation of the mind, and sometimes leads to hospitalization,” State Well being Commissioner Dr. James McDonald stated in an announcement. “Crucial factor folks can do to guard themselves is to make sure they’ve been correctly immunized in opposition to measles and instantly get a shot if they aren’t.”
Kids ought to obtain the primary dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 months of age, adopted by a second dose at 4 to five years of age, in response to the childhood immunization schedule. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% efficient at stopping measles.
Public well being specialists stress that the MMR vaccine is secure and efficient. However vaccination ranges in some elements of New York state have fallen under the 95% threshold of immunization protection wanted to achieve herd immunity, or widespread neighborhood safety.
In Suffolk County, solely 82.6% of kids had acquired one dose of the MMR vaccine by 2 years of age as of January 1, in response to knowledge from the state Well being Division.
Eliza Fawcett is a reporter overlaying public well being in New York Metropolis for Healthbeat. Contact Eliza at efawcett@healthbeat.org.
