Measles Continues to Spread Across Hudson Valley

Confirmed cases of the measles continues to increase across the Hudson Valley.

On Thursday, the Rockland County Department of Health announced 122 confirmed cases in Rockland County. There have also been a number of confirmed cases of measles in Orange County.

In early January, New York State Commissioner of Health Howard Zucker called the measles outbreak "the largest measles outbreak that New York state has had in recent history."

In October, it was reported an international traveler with measles visited multiple locations in Rockland and Westchester counties. Among the locations infected with measles was the Costco in Nanuet and Westchester Medical Center.

The Rockland County measles outbreak spread into Orange County in November. Health officials in Orange County later warned that a taxi was exposed to measles.

Around Thanksgiving, shoppers at the Palisades Mall were potentially exposed to measles.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus that is spread by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people. People first develop a fever, then often a cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by an appearance of a rash. People are considered infectious four days before to four days after the appearance of the rash.

Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis or a runny nose. Symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after exposure but may appear as early as 7 days and as late as 21 days after exposure.