First Measles Case In 6 Years Confirmed In Rockland County

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The first confirmed measles case in nearly six years has been reported in Rockland County.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Leahy announced on Monday that a case of measles has been confirmed in a Rockland County resident.

The patient had returned home after traveling the week before, where a potential exposure had taken place. The patient visited a healthcare facility on Wednesday, and reported a rash on Friday, which was later confirmed to be measles. The county says that known contacts are being traced and evaluated for immunity.

Before this year's case, there had been no reported measles cases in Rockland County since 2019. The county says that after learning critical lessons from the last measles outbreak, it is committed to taking proactive measures to protect public health.

"The single best way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated," Dr. Mary Leahy, Rockland County Commissioner of Health, said. "We strongly encourage residents to protect themselves, their families, and all residents of our county by making sure you and your family are up to date on your MMR vaccinations."

"We are monitoring the situation closely to protect the community. We will keep residents informed of any updates," Leahy added.

Measles is the most contagious disease in the world and can live in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left a room, according to health officials. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and around 90 percent of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus become infected, according to the CDC.

Symptoms usually appear 10 to 12 days after exposure, but may appear as early as seven days and as late as 21 days after exposure. They include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis (red, watery eyes), or a runny nose.

Severe illness and complications can occur in unvaccinated people. These include pneumonia, encephalitis and death. Children under the age of five, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at the most risk of serious complications.

People are considered immune to measles if they were born before 1957, have received two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, have had physician or provider-confirmed measles, or have a lab test confirming immunity.

Those unsure of their immunity are being urged by the health department to contact their healthcare provider. According to current guidelines, two doses of the MMR vaccine are required to be fully protected. The first dose of the MMR vaccine is typically given at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose is usually given at four to six years of age, although people may also be vaccinated later in life.

In New York, measles immunization is required for children enrolled in schools, daycare, and pre-kindergarten. Since August of 1990, college students have also been required to show immunity against measles.

Free MMR vaccines are available for Rockland County residents six months and older by calling the Rockland County Department of Health at 845-364-2497 or 845-364-2520. MMR vaccines are also available from local health care providers or by calling a local federally qualified health center, such as Refuah or Sun River Health Care.

According to the CDC, as of August 19, a total of 1,375 confirmed measles cases were reported by 42 jurisdictions, including New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. There have been 35 outbreaks (three or more related cases) reported so far this year, and 92 percent of confirmed cases were either unvaccinated or have an unknown immune status.

Measles cases have been previously confirmed this year in the Hudson Valley, including Putnam and Orange Counties. There had been 16 confirmed cases of measles in the state: nine in NYC, four cases in Orange County, one in Suffolk County, one in Ontario County, and one in Putnam County.

All healthcare providers are being asked to immediately report all cases of suspected measles to the Rockland County Department of Health Communicable Disease Program staff by calling 845-364-2997 during regular business hours, or 845-364-8600 after hours/weekends. Healthcare providers can also call this number for additional information.

To prevent the spread of measles, the health department asks anyone who may have been exposed and who has 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 from being exposed to illness.

Find more information at the Rockland County Department of Health, New York State Department of Health, and Vaccine.gov websites.