US County declares emergency against measles outbreak

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A county in the state of New York has declared a state of emergency over the spread of measles and banned all unvaccinated minors from visiting places. to contain the epidemic, nearly two decades after its official eradication.

The procedure, which defines public places as a place for more than 10 people, including transportation, was announced by the Rockland County Chair, located 40 km north of New York, according to its official website and at the time of publication. ;a press conference.

The ban, which came into effect from Wednesday to 30 days of midnight, is the most severe measure announced in the United States since the outbreak of measles in many areas after the movements of vaccine resistance .

"We must do everything in our power to stop the spread of the epidemic and protect the health of people who can not get the vaccine for medical reasons or children who are still too early to receive it." said county chief Ed Dai.

He lamented the "growing resistance" of some residents to health officials trying to protect them.

"They shut up their mouths and tell health officials not to come back here when they visit homes where one of their residents has been infected," he said, saying that such actions were "unacceptable and irresponsible".

The measles outbreak has started in this country since October, when seven infected travelers arrived in the province, the longest since its official eradication in 2000, said Dai.

Dai said Rockland County had recorded 153 cases. Despite intensive vaccination campaigns since its creation, about 27% of children aged 18 to 18 are not yet developed.

Those most affected are those with large numbers of extremist Jews, who have many opponents to vaccines and who often have links to radical communities in Brooklyn, also affected by the disease, the New York Times reported.

Several vaccines are mandatory in the United States for school attendance. But 47 of the 50 states, including New York, allow exemptions for "religious" reasons.