Hudson Valley Student Diagnosed With Highly Contagious Virus

The number of confirmed cases of measles in the Hudson Valley continues to dramatically rise, including an area student who was just diagnosed.

Download the Hudson Valley Post App

Since October there have been at least 276 confirmed cases of measles in New York State. 155 cases come from Orange and Rockland counties with 121 cases found in Brooklyn.

Last month, health officials from Rockland County confirmed 130 cases of measles. On Friday, they increased that number to 140.

Also on Friday, the Westchester County Health Department was notified that a Monroe College student was diagnosed with measles. The student, who lives in New York City, traveled to the College’s New Rochelle campus, officials say.

CBS reports the student attends class at the Westchester college.

The Westchester County Health Department is now working to help notify those who may have been exposed and render treatment. Anyone who believes they may have been exposed should contact their healthcare provider.

The outbreak, which started around October, is considered the worst measles outbreak New York has seen in decades.

Since the outbreak, over 14,000 New York children have been vaccinated while over 6,000 unvaccinated children have been kept out of school for over two months, health officials tell CNN.

Subscribe to the Hudson Valley Post’s Newsletter

In October, it was reported an international traveler with measles visited multiple locations in Rockland and Westchester counties. Among the locations infected with measles was the Costco in Nanuet and Westchester Medical Center.

The Rockland County measles outbreak spread into Orange County in November. Health officials in Orange County later warned that a taxi was exposed to measles.

Around Thanksgiving, shoppers at the Palisades Mall were potentially exposed to measles.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus that is spread by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people. People first develop a fever, then often a cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by an appearance of a rash. People are considered infectious four days before to four days after the appearance of the rash.

Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis or a 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.

Spot a typo? Let us know.