The number of measles cases in Brooklyn reaches 17

Eleven new cases of children with measles have been confirmed in Brooklyn – bringing the total to 17, the city's health authorities said Friday.

The New York City Department of Health said recent cases – involving children aged 7 months to 4 years – were in Williamsburg and Borough Park.

Measles was diagnosed in six Brooklyn children after one of them apparently returned from Israel suffering from the highly contagious disease and exposed others, said the health authorities of the city.

Three infections, including the first case of measles, were contracted by children during a visit to Israel, where a major outbreak of the disease occurs.

Measles alert: Press to stop spreading with vaccination

Transmission of the disease has occurred in schools with unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated children, officials said.

Although there was no death badociated with this group, there were complications, including hospitalization. Complications of the disease put one child in the hospital with pneumonia and another with an ear infection, health officials said.

To raise awareness about measles, the city's health department sends out notifications to schools, service providers and hospitals with a large Jewish Orthodox population.

Health officials also organize outreach activities in affected communities, posting ads in local newspapers and distributing posters to health care providers. Since the epidemic, vaccination rates in the Orthodox Jewish community have increased, health officials said, noting that more children should receive the MMR vaccine to stop the transmission of measles.

Dozens of other residents of the state of New York in Rockland County have been diagnosed with measles, some of them catching on a trip to Israel. , and others being contaminated after being exposed to a person with measles.

Rockland County has been struggling with a measles outbreak in recent weeks, even asking unvaccinated students not to go to school.

"Although measles can be prevented, too many families choose not to vaccinate or delay immunization, putting their children and other children at risk," said Dr Oxiris Barbot, Acting Health Commissioner.

Children who develop fever and rashes should be kept at home, away from school or daycare, while they seek medical treatment.

Measles is a very contagious disease. Young children, immunocompromised pregnant women and non-immunized pregnant women are at greatest risk of serious complications. Measles is transmitted by airborne particles, droplets and direct contact with the respiratory secretions of an infected person.

Measles usually occurs in adults and children as an acute viral disease characterized by fever and a generalized rash. The rashes usually start on the face, descend into the body and may include the palms and soles of the feet. The rash lasts for several days. Infected people are contagious four days before the onset of rash and up to the fourth day after their onset.

Health officials say that it is important to make sure that the whole family is vaccinated before traveling abroad. In addition to the significant epidemic that currently exists in ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in Israel, there are large ones in Europe; In the first six months of 2018, more than 41,000 cases of measles and 37 deaths were reported.

The most affected countries are Serbia, Ukraine, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Italy, France, Slovakia, Russia and the United Kingdom, although all the countries of Europe reported cases. Epidemics are also occurring in many other parts of the world, including Asia, South America and Africa.

For more information, visit nyc.gov/health and search for "measles."