Suffolk County, Long Island (PIX11) — An extremely infectious disease capable of causing pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, and miscarriages has been reported.
death
It has now been confirmed that this occurred outside of New York City.
According to the New York State Department of Health, a 5-year-old living in Suffolk County has been diagnosed with measles. This brings the total number of measles cases in New York for this year up to three, and it’s the first such instance reported outside of New York City.
The patient is receiving treatment at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center located in Queens. According to health authorities, individuals who were present in the pediatric emergency room at this facility on March 3rd or 4th, as well as those who visited a hospitalized child in the Medicine 3 unit between March 3rd and 6th, might have been exposed.
The Cohen Children’s Medical Center is contacting patients who visited certain areas on specific days. Those who think they may have been exposed are advised to contact their doctor or pediatrician.
What is measles?
The measles virus is extremely infectious and has the potential to affect as much as 90 percent of those who have not been vaccinated when they get near someone with the infection, as stated by the New York City Department of Health.
This illness is a respiratory condition triggered by among the globe’s highly infectious viruses. The pathogen travels through the air and can spread rapidly whenever an affected individual exhales, sneezes, or coughs. Children are particularly susceptible to this ailment.
Measles initially attacks the respiratory system before spreading across the entire body, leading to symptoms such as a high temperature, stuffy nose, persistent cough, inflamed and teary eyes, along with an appearance of rashes.
Typically, the rash emerges between three to five days following initial symptoms, starting with flat red patches on the face before progressing downwards towards the neck, torso, arms, legs, and feet. The fever might peak above 104 degrees when this rash becomes visible, as reported by the CDC.
There isn’t a particular treatment for measles, but according to health authorities, individuals who have contracted measles before cannot be infected with it again.
What steps can be taken to avoid getting measles?
To prevent measles, getting vaccinated with the MMR vaccine is highly effective. It is advised that kids receive their initial dose when they’re between 12 and 15 months old, followed by a booster between 4 and 6 years of age.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, national vaccination rates have dropped across the country, with the majority of states reporting figures beneath the crucial 95% mark for kindergarten vaccinations—a benchmark essential for preventing measles epidemics within our neighborhoods.
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