NEW CITY – Rockland County officials, Thursday, declared the measles crisis in the county is over.
Since the measles outbreak began last October, there have been 283 confirmed cases in Rockland causing the county to impose a state of emergency. That has now expired. Over the last three months the number of new confirmed cases has dramatically declined – by 29 percent in May, by 63 percent in June and by 42 percent to date in July, County Executive Edwin Day reported.
“After a 13 percent increase in confirmed cases between March and April we have seen a steady decline since then. In short, to Rockland County, congratulations. We assured all back then when things looked very bleak, when we were the hardest hit area in the United States with 30 percent of the cases that we would beat this outbreak and we have,” he said.
One of the requirements of the state of emergency was for all summer camps to provide proof of immunizations of attendees and staff and Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Ruppert said they had 100 percent compliance.
Since October, the county has administered close to 26,000 MMR vaccinations and Ruppert reminded residents that measles shots are safe and the only way to prevent the virus.
