Measles Outbreak Sweeps Northeast; 8 Die in New York
A measles outbreak has put dozens of New Yorkers in the hospital this year and has led to the death of eight residents suffering from complications related to the contagious disease, officials said Saturday.
Health Commissioner Dr. Woodrow Myers said more than 2,000 measles cases have been reported in the city so far this year, compared with 2,479 in all of 1990. There were nine measles-related deaths last year.
Steven Matthews, a spokesman for the city Health and Hospitals Corporation, cited a “virtual doubling” every month in the number of measles-related admissions since November.
“It started from essentially zero in November and by the end of March was up to about 64,” he said.
Myers said there is a national measles outbreak, particularly concentrated in the Northeast, where the highly contagious disease is being carried by recent immigrants from countries without strong immunization programs.
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