Nearly two months since the Mayor announced a dedicated effort to combat the measles epidemic sweeping across the borough, more cases have been identified in South Brooklyn.
Earlier today, the NYC Department of Health (DOH) announced that four more measles cases have been identified in the Sunset Park neighborhood of South Brooklyn. In total, there were 13 new cases reported citywide this week, including 12 in Brooklyn.
There have now been 12 confirmed cases in Sunset Park in total, which is an increase of four since the last public update on May 20. With this new announcement, there have now been 535 cases of measles confirmed as of May 23 since the beginning of the outbreak last October. Here is the breakdown by neighborhood:
- Bensonhurst: 2 (no additional case in the past week)
- Borough Park: 84 (4 additional cases in the past week)
- Brighton Beach: 4 (no additional case in the past week)
- Crown Heights: 3 (1 additional case in the past week)
- Flatbush: 1 (no additional case in the past week)
- Midwood/Marine Park: 4 (no additional case in the past week)
- Sunset Park: 12 (4 additional case in the past week)
- Williamsburg: 418 (3 additional cases in the past week)
- Flushing, Queens: 3 (no additional case in the past week)
- Far Rockaway, Queens: 1 (no additional case in the past week)
- Jamaica, Queens: 2 (no additional case in the past week)
- Hunts Point, Longwood & Melrose, Bronx: 1 (no additional case in the past week)
The cases in Sunset Park are among individuals who do not identify as part of the Orthodox Jewish community. According to the NYC DOH, vaccination rate among children in this neighborhood is high, but the department will look to scale up community outreach in the area’s most commonly spoken languages to raise awareness and encourage vaccinations among children and adults.
“Given the high vaccination rates in Sunset Park, we do not foresee sustained transmission in this neighborhood. However, measles is extremely contagious, and I strongly urge unvaccinated New Yorkers to immediately get the vaccine, unless there is a medical condition that prevents them from doing so. All New Yorkers should get vaccinated or confirm their immunity status with their doctor,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot.
Just last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency in select Williamsburg zip codes -11205, 11206, 11211, 11249- following a measles outbreak affecting the Orthodox Jewish community.
“Williamsburg remains the epicenter of this outbreak, though we have seen some cases in people outside of the Orthodox Jewish community,” added Barbot.
The majority of cases (78%) remain confined to the North Brooklyn Jewish ultra-religious community, which has been under an Emergency Order since April 9, requiring people who live or work in these ZIP codes to be vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR).
To date, 122 individuals have received summonses for being non-compliant with the Emergency Order. Any person receiving the summons is entitled to a hearing, and if the hearing officer upholds the summons, a $1,000 penalty will be imposed. Failing to appear at the hearing or respond to the summons will result in a $2,000 fine.
Since the outbreak last Fall, there have been 40 hospitalizations and 11 admissions to the ICU due to complications. As of May 23, 25,510 doses of MMR have been administered to children 18 years and younger in Williamsburg and Borough Park since October 1, 2018, which is 11,387 more doses than the same time period last year. 12,238 of those individuals reside in Williamsburg, which is 6,298 more than last year.
City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest, Midwood) reminded residents that vaccinating children is one of the most basic ways a parent can protect their child’s health.
“Every new case of measles is worrisome, particularly for parents of children too young to receive the full MMR vaccine. I urge all New York City parents to follow Health Department recommendations and vaccinate their kids. A parent who chooses not to vaccinate is not only potentially exposing their own child to the measles, but also putting others at risk. Babies, people with poor immune systems, and elderly seniors are just some of the categories that are more susceptible to catching the measles,” said Deutsch.
