Health officials investigate potential measles exposure at medical center in Queens
SUFFOLK COUNTY, Long Island (PIX11) — A highly contagious illness that can cause pneumonia, swelling of the brain, miscarriage, and even death, has now been confirmed outside of New York City.
A child under the age of 5 who resides in Suffolk County was confirmed to have measles, according to the New York State Department of Health. This marks the third case of measles in New York this year and the first case outside of New York City.
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The patient is being treated at the Cohen Children's Medical Center in Queens. Health officials say that anyone who visited the pediatric emergency department at the medical center on March 3 or 4 or visited an inpatient child on the Medicine 3 unit from March 3 to 6 could have potentially been exposed.
The Cohen Children's Medical Center is reaching out to patients who visited those areas on those days. Anyone who believes they were exposed should consult their doctor or pediatrician.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can infect up to 90% of unvaccinated people who come in close proximity to an infected person, according to the New York City Department of Health.
It's a respiratory disease caused by one of the world's most contagious viruses. The virus is airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes, or coughs. It most commonly affects kids.
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, and then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes, and a rash.
The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees, according to the CDC.
There's no specific treatment for measles, but health officials say that people who have had measles once cannot get it again.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
Vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, and most states are below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners — the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.
Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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