New York City officials report second measles case as Texas outbreak continues
As the measles outbreak continues to spread in Texas, cases have been reported in New Jersey as well as a second case in New York City.
The New York City Department of Health said that one additional case of measles has been reported in New York City.
"As a pediatrician and the State's doctor, I want to remind everyone that immunization is safe and the best protection for your children against measles and other potentially deadly diseases," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a press release.
A first case was reported in New York City earlier this year, but acting commissioner of the New York City Health Department Dr. Michelle Morse told USA TODAY in a statement that the two reported cases are unrelated.
'For each case, our agency conducts routine case and contact investigation and we ensure proper follow-ups for exposed persons. Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly,' Morse said.
In 2024, 14 cases were reported in the city by the New York City Department of Health.
The reported cases in New York come as three cases have been reported in neighboring New Jersey. According to the state's Department of Health, the individuals who have tested positive for measles have been placed in quarantine.
In Texas, nearly 150 measles cases have been reported since late January. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 146 cases were reported as of last Friday.
One death was reported last week, marking it as the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The death was of a school-age child in Lubbock, Texas, Zach Holbrooks, public health director and executive director of the South Plains Public Health District, said in an email.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation's top health official, asked parents to consider measles vaccinations for their children but did not outright suggest them.
Referring to the deadly outbreak as a "call to action," Kennedy wrote in an opinion piece published Sunday on Fox News Digital that parents should consult with physicians about the MMR vaccine, which also covers mumps and rubella.
"The decision to vaccinate is a personal one," Kennedy wrote. "Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons."
The measles virus is highly contagious. Spread primarily through droplets released by coughing or sneezing, measles can remain in a room and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves, according to the CDC. A person who is contagious can infect as many as 18 others. People are contagious even before they show symptoms, which include the telltale sign of a rash.
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles. The full two-dose series is 97% effective against the virus, and just one shot provides 93% protection.
About one-fifth of unvaccinated people who contract measles require hospitalization, according to the CDC. One in 20 children who get infected end up with pneumonia, which is the most common cause of death in children. About 1 in 1,000 children with measles can develop encephalitis, or brain inflammation, which can cause deafness, convulsions or intellectual disabilities.
One to 3 of every 1,000 children infected die of measles because of respiratory or neurologic complications, the CDC said.
Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Eric Lagatta
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Second measles case reported in NYC as Texas outbreak continues
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