What To Know About Measles With 1st Case On Long Island

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — With news that a patient, the first on Long Island this year, was admitted to Cohen Children's Medical Center on Thursday with measles, here's an overview of what you should know about the disease.

Measles is a highly contagious, serious airborne disease caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death.

But the measles vaccination saved 56 million people from death from 2000 to 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

The vaccine is part of the standard routine for children before starting school in New York.

In 2022, nearly 83 percent of the world's children received one dose of the measles vaccine by their first birthday, the lowest level since 2008, the WHO said.

So far, there have been three cases of measles in New York.

An global outbreak in 2019, saw most of the cases reported in New York City and Rockland County. A public health emergency was declared in April 2019 when 285 cases were known. By May, there were 423 confirmed cases within the five boroughs, Memorial Sloan Kettering posted on its website.

The health crisis was declared over in September 2019 with 649 total cases, including 473 cases in Williamsburg and 121 cases in Borough Park.

It was a 25-year high for measles in the U.S. in 2019.

Measles can affect anyone but it is common among children.

An estimated 128,000 people died from measles in 2021, mostly children under the age of five years, despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine, the WHO said.

Symptoms to look for within two weeks of coming in contact with the contagion:

• Running nose
• Cough
• Red and watery eyes
• Small white spots inside the cheeks

A rash would start seven-18 days after exposure, usually on the face and upper neck, before spreading to hands and feet, the World Health Organization said.

It usually fades after 5–6 days.

Those most at risk are non-immune people (not vaccinated or vaccinated but did not develop immunity) who can become infected. Unvaccinated young children and pregnant persons are at highest risk of severe measles complications.