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Eleven new cases of measles were reported in the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, bringing the total number of children affected to 17.
The New York Department of Health has issued a warning asking parents to vaccinate their children against the disease in the light of new cases. "Parents who oppose measles vaccines and all other diseases not only endanger their own children, but also endanger other children and their families," said Mark Levine, of Ministry of Health, in a statement.
"While Israel and other countries face epidemics, the risk of measles that affects our New York communities is particularly acute in neighborhoods where international travel is frequent and frequent. I urge all parents in the city to ensure that their children are aware of all the vaccines recommended by WADA, including for the flu, as the months go by. winter. "
The Ministry of Health said that although no deaths have been reported so far, a number of children have been hospitalized as a result of complications. Residents of Williamsburg and Borough Park are affected and cases have been reported in children between the ages of seven months and four years.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads in the air by coughing and sneezing. It starts with a fever, a runny nose, sore throat and a cough. This is followed by a rash that spreads throughout the body. Measles can lead to serious complications, especially in children under five. This includes pneumonia and swelling of the brain. One out of every two thousand children who get measles dies.
It is recommended that children receive the first dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) at 12 months, the second dose of four to six years. The Ministry of Health said that vaccination rates had risen since the announcement of the outbreak, but that there was still much work to be done. He is currently conducting a targeted measles awareness campaign in Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn.
At present, there is a large measles epidemic among the ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in Israel. The country's Ministry of Health has launched a campaign to promote immunization and has announced plans to ban unvaccinated visitors from some hospitals. Israel weather reports. More than 750 cases of measles have been reported in the ultra-Orthodox communities of Jerusalem, where the vaccination rate is only about 50%.
Immunization rates in Orthodox Jewish communities in New York are low. Research has shown that an epidemic in 2013– the most important since 1992 – was due to the fact that children had not been vaccinated, either by refusal or by delay. The reasons behind low vaccination rates are unclear.
Rabbi David Niederman, president of the UJO (United Jewish Organizations) of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn, said, "It is said in the Torah" Vishishmartem Meod the nafshoseichem, "that 39, a person must protect his health. The need for parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated, especially against measles, is clear. Fortunately, everyone in the community understands and takes its immunization obligations very seriously. The current epidemic represents a health risk for children in our community and it is everyone's responsibility to vaccinate their children.
Rabbi Avi Greenstein, executive director of the Boro Park Jewish Community Council, added, "As the measles epidemic continues to spread relentlessly, it is imperative that every member of our community protect and protect themselves. their family by getting vaccinated. It is also imperative to understand that prevention is the key. As such, we need to learn how important it is for all of us to take advantage of modern medicine and not to trust collective immunity, but rather to follow the vaccination schedule recommended by health professionals to protect our families and our entire community. "
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