Gov. Kathy Hochul urges New Yorkers to be current on measles vaccinations, citing cases across Canadian border
Gov. Kathy Hochul gave an update to New Yorkers on the statewide response to measles, Wednesday. Credit: NY State Gov Office
The latest measles threat might be lurking to the north, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday as she urged New Yorkers to make sure they and their children are current with their vaccinations.
There have been four cases in the state, including one in Suffolk County, reported since Jan. 1. The other three were in New York City.
"These numbers, themselves, are not inherently a cause for concern ..." Hochul said during a news briefing at Wadsworth Center, the state Health Department’s public laboratory in Albany. "There are 350 cases reported since last fall in Ontario, literally right across the border from our state."
More than 300 measles cases have been confirmed across the country this year as of March 13, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority — 279 — have been in Texas among unvaccinated people, officials said. That figure has surpassed the total number of cases across the United States in 2024, which was 285. One young child in Texas died from the disease. Another death is being investigated.
About 95% of the confirmed cases are among people who are unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status, according to Dr. William Moss, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
"The clear message is that measles vaccine is what will prevent this outbreak from spreading," Moss said during a Wednesday morning webinar with reporters.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads easily when an infected person coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. In some cases it can cause severe illness, including pneumonia and swelling of the brain.
Three of the four cases in New York were confirmed in people who traveled outside the United States, where measles is more common. In 2000, measles was declared eliminated from the United States, meaning there was no continuous spread for more than 12 months.
The Suffolk County case was an infant, too young to receive the vaccine, who had recently traveled outside the country. The child, who was hospitalized at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, is currently recovering at home. Officials are trying to determine if anyone who came in contact with the child during that stay could have been infected.
Hochul called on members of the clergy, activists and community leaders to get information out about the importance of the vaccine directly to people.
While overall 81% of children under the age of 2 in the state have received their first shot of the two-dose vaccine, that number is much smaller in some regions.
Vaccine fatigue and hesitancy have been obstacles to getting all children vaccinated on time.
Children receive their first dose of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine between the ages of 12 and 15 months, followed by a second dose between 4 and 6 years of age, according to CDC guidelines. People born before 1957 are considered immune, while other adults who were vaccinated decades ago should check with their doctors to assess their immunity.
"Make sure you have two doses of measles, mumps, rubella vaccine ... the technology exists, it's proven," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "I don't want to be ambiguous about this at all. The measles, mumps, rubella vaccine is the best protection. Anything else you're hearing from anybody else is just noise"
Hochul, who grew up in Buffalo, said Canada is not considered a foreign country to people in western New York.
"I’m nervous about Ontario being so close to us, to be honest with you," she said. "It’s where you go for dinner and shopping back and forth across the border, sports events etc. ... we’re not seeing a trend out of Ontario but we’re watching it closely."
The latest measles threat might be lurking to the north, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday as she urged New Yorkers to make sure they and their children are current with their vaccinations.
There have been four cases in the state, including one in Suffolk County, reported since Jan. 1. The other three were in New York City.
"These numbers, themselves, are not inherently a cause for concern ..." Hochul said during a news briefing at Wadsworth Center, the state Health Department’s public laboratory in Albany. "There are 350 cases reported since last fall in Ontario, literally right across the border from our state."
More than 300 measles cases have been confirmed across the country this year as of March 13, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority — 279 — have been in Texas among unvaccinated people, officials said. That figure has surpassed the total number of cases across the United States in 2024, which was 285. One young child in Texas died from the disease. Another death is being investigated.
About 95% of the confirmed cases are among people who are unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status, according to Dr. William Moss, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
"The clear message is that measles vaccine is what will prevent this outbreak from spreading," Moss said during a Wednesday morning webinar with reporters.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads easily when an infected person coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. In some cases it can cause severe illness, including pneumonia and swelling of the brain.
Three of the four cases in New York were confirmed in people who traveled outside the United States, where measles is more common. In 2000, measles was declared eliminated from the United States, meaning there was no continuous spread for more than 12 months.
The Suffolk County case was an infant, too young to receive the vaccine, who had recently traveled outside the country. The child, who was hospitalized at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, is currently recovering at home. Officials are trying to determine if anyone who came in contact with the child during that stay could have been infected.
Hochul called on members of the clergy, activists and community leaders to get information out about the importance of the vaccine directly to people.
While overall 81% of children under the age of 2 in the state have received their first shot of the two-dose vaccine, that number is much smaller in some regions.
Vaccine fatigue and hesitancy have been obstacles to getting all children vaccinated on time.
Children receive their first dose of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine between the ages of 12 and 15 months, followed by a second dose between 4 and 6 years of age, according to CDC guidelines. People born before 1957 are considered immune, while other adults who were vaccinated decades ago should check with their doctors to assess their immunity.
"Make sure you have two doses of measles, mumps, rubella vaccine ... the technology exists, it's proven," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "I don't want to be ambiguous about this at all. The measles, mumps, rubella vaccine is the best protection. Anything else you're hearing from anybody else is just noise"
Hochul, who grew up in Buffalo, said Canada is not considered a foreign country to people in western New York.
"I’m nervous about Ontario being so close to us, to be honest with you," she said. "It’s where you go for dinner and shopping back and forth across the border, sports events etc. ... we’re not seeing a trend out of Ontario but we’re watching it closely."
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.
Top Stories
Most Popular
