Latest news with #NewYorkCityDepartmentofHealth
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NYC raccoons to be vaccinated against rabies virus
NEW YORK (PIX11) – The City of New York is fighting against the rabies virus by vaccinating not dogs, not cats – but raccoons. The New York City Department of Health will distribute oral rabies vaccine baits to immunize raccoons against the rabies virus in Brooklyn and Queens, the agency announced on Wednesday. More Local News 'Rabies is a severe disease that can be fatal. The NYC Health Department's efforts to vaccinate raccoons against rabies will protect New Yorkers, their pets, and the City's wildlife,' said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. 'New Yorkers can do their part by keeping their pets up to date on rabies vaccinations and maintaining distance from wildlife.' This year alone, 11 raccoons have tested positive for rabies in the Big Apple, and rabid raccoons have also been found on Long Island. The USDA distributes baits in small, brown, fish-scented packages. Raccoons are attracted to the odor, and when they chew the bait, they become immunized, protecting them against rabies infection. These baits are usually not harmful to humans if ingested, according to officials. Raccoons are common in New York. If seen during the day, the animal is likely searching for food. Never feed the raccoons, officials say. To protect your pet against rabies, keep their vaccinations up to date, and never leave them unattended outside. If you see an animal acting strangely, call 311. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Jones Road wildfire in New Jersey prompts air quality advisory for NYC, LI
Smoke from the Jones Road wildfire in New Jersey was slated to swath New York City skies on Thursday, prompting air quality advisories for the metropolitan area and Long Island, health and environment officials said Wednesday. The state health and environmental conservation departments issued an air quality health advisory for fine particulate matter 'due to the potential impact of smoke from wildfires in New Jersey,' Acting New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton and State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement. Such advisories are triggered when the Air Quality Index is expected to exceed 100, state officials said. The advisory will last from 12 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. Thursday for the New York City metro area, which also includes Rockland and Westchester counties, and extends to Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island. City officials amplified the advisory with a New York City air quality alert of its own. 'Young children, older adults and people with heart or breathing conditions should avoid strenuous and prolonged outdoor activities,' the New York City Department of Health said on X. An AQI above 100 is still okay for healthy people, the city said, though with a caveat. 'If your eyes are watering, your throat is sore, you have a headache, or you are out of breath or coughing during outdoor activities, take a break and go indoors,' the city health department added. The fires engulfing the Pine Barrons of New Jersey and closing down portions of the Garden State Parkway had hit 12,500 acres by Wednesday afternoon and was expected to grow, officials said. Thousands of people have been evacuated, and a state of emergency was in effect, with the fire 40% contained. With News Wire Services
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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. More Local News 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.
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Health
- USA Today
New York City officials report second measles case as Texas outbreak continues
New York City officials report second measles case as Texas outbreak continues Show Caption Hide Caption RFK comments on first death in a decade due to measles outbreak A school-aged child, who was not vaccinated, died in Texas from measles. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said it's "not unusual." 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. Measles outbreak reported in other states 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. RFK Jr. asks parents to consider measles vaccine 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." How does measles spread? 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 and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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 and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Second measles case reported in NYC as Texas outbreak continues
