Oneida County in Central New York has confirmed two measles cases — its first since 1996. The two individuals live in the same household and were not vaccinated against measles, according to the Oneida County Health Department. All close contacts have been notified, and officials say there is no immediate threat to the general public.
The cases are another sign of measles spreading across New York. State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said this week that 124 confirmed cases have been reported statewide as of the evening of Oct. 6, mostly upstate among unvaccinated people, with Otsego County's 20 cases the highest in the state. Days earlier, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order on Oct. 5 declaring a state disaster emergency.
Oneida County's last measles case was a single case in 1996; it had two in 1993. The health department said the two patients are related, live under the same roof, and neither had been vaccinated. Everyone identified as a close contact has been notified, and health officials stressed that fully vaccinated residents need not worry.
Hochul's order cited the rising number of cases in New York and neighboring Pennsylvania. The state Health Department's measles dashboard shows Seneca County with 18 cases, Steuben with 14, Wayne with eight, and Allegany with six; no other county has more than four. The state has also launched an online measles dashboard, updated weekly on Tuesdays.
Nationally, measles cases rose sharply last year and have climbed further this year: the CDC counted 4,080 confirmed cases as of Oct. 8. Pennsylvania has the most with 1,105 cases, far ahead of every other state. Health officials note that this year's upstate cases have mostly occurred in communities with low vaccination rates, including some Amish and Mennonite communities.
Officials say the risk remains low for the fully vaccinated but is highest for those who have not been vaccinated, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems. The Oneida County Health Department is urging residents to check their vaccination records and know the symptoms of measles. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing the disease.
Health officials say early recognition matters: anyone who develops fever, cough, and a red rash that starts at the hairline should stay home and call a clinic before arriving, so staff can prevent exposure in the waiting room.