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International Traveler With Measles May Have Exposed Rockland Residents At These Sites

After recently announcing an end to the measles outbreak in Rockland County, an international traveler who has been confirmed to have measles visited a temple in Monsey, potentially exposing others to the disease.

A new case of measles has surfaced in Rockland County.

A new case of measles has surfaced in Rockland County.

Photo Credit: Rockland County/Facebook

County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said the infected person visited Congregation Khal Torath Viznitz in Monsey on Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21.

Ruppert warned that anyone who visited Congregation Khal Torath Viznitz during the following times may have been exposed to measles:

  • Friday, Sept. 20, from 9 to 10 p.m., with a risk of exposure until midnight.
  • Saturday, Sept. 21, from Noon to 1 p.m., with a risk of exposure until 3 p.m.

"We continue to urge residents to check their immunization status and get vaccinated if they are unimmunized," said Ruppert. "By avoiding having pockets of susceptible individuals, we can prevent the measles from spreading further within our county."

The new case surfaced shortly after Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Ruppert announced an end to the yearlong outbreak that sickened 312 residents.

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on earth with 90 percent of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus become infected. You can catch measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, up to 2 hours after that person is gone. You can catch measles from an infected person even before they have a measles rash. 

Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis or runny nose. Symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after exposure but may appear as early as 7 days and as late as 21 days after exposure. 

Due to Rockland County's small geographic size, exposure to the measles may occur anywhere in Rockland.

"To be clear, this new case and exposure are not connected to our previous measles outbreak which ended last month," said Day. "As the disease continues to spread around the world, it is not surprising to see yet another imported case here in Rockland."

The receive vaccine information, call the Health Department at 845-364-2497.

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