A dozen residents of Suffolk County, including one unvaccinated individual, were potentially exposed to measles during a recent visit to Cohen Children’s Medical Center. The alarming news was confirmed by the county health department following the announcement of a positive measles case in a child. This marks the third reported infection in the state this year and the first case identified outside of New York City.
The child, who was diagnosed with measles, received treatment for exposure at the New Hyde Park hospital. On Wednesday, Grace Kelly-McGovern, a spokesperson for the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, revealed that 12 individuals at the hospital were potentially exposed to the infected child. Among these individuals, 11 had been vaccinated, while one was unvaccinated. Specific details regarding their ages and identities have not been disclosed.
The unvaccinated individual has been prescribed medication and is currently under quarantine. Kelly-McGovern mentioned, "Our people will follow them and see if they develop symptoms," emphasizing the importance of monitoring the exposed individuals closely.
According to the New York State Department of Health, anyone who visited the hospital's pediatric emergency department on March 3 or 4, or had contact with an inpatient child in the Medicine 3 unit between March 3 and 6, may have been exposed to measles. Health officials have not disclosed whether the infected child remains hospitalized at Cohen's Medical Center or how they contracted the disease.
The child who tested positive for measles was unvaccinated and had not attended daycare or school during the infectious period, according to the Suffolk health department. State health officials noted that the child had recently traveled outside of the United States, where measles is more prevalent. The age of the infected child has not been publicly shared, except to indicate that they are under the age of 5. It is important to note that children under one year old are not eligible for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
In March 2024, another child under the age of 5 from Nassau County was treated at Cohen's for measles. The circumstances surrounding that case remain unclear, as the child had not traveled internationally, where measles outbreaks are more common. Fortunately, that child recovered and was released from the hospital.
Historically, the highest number of recent measles cases on Long Island occurred in 2019, with three cases reported in Nassau County and one in Suffolk County, according to state health department data.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as health officials continue to monitor the situation and provide more information regarding the potential exposure to measles in Suffolk County.
