Tyler Pager reports for the New York Times
New York City on Tuesday declared a public health emergencyfollowing a measles outbreak in ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would require unvaccinated individuals living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to receive the measles vaccine as the city escalated its efforts to stem one of the largest measles outbreaks in decades.
The mayor said the city would issue violations and possibly fines of $1,000 for those who did not comply.
“This is the epicenter of a measles outbreak that is very, very troubling and must be dealt with immediately,” Mr. de Blasio said at a news conference in Williamsburg, adding: “The measles vaccine works. It is safe, it is effective, it is time-tested.”
[In April, Measles spread to four more states as the outbreak grew.]
The measure follows a spike in measles infections in New York City, where there have been 285 confirmed cases since the outbreak began in the fall; 21 of those cases led to hospitalizations, including five admissions to the intensive care unit.
The majority of the cases have been concentrated in Hasidic communities in Williamsburg and Borough Park, Brooklyn
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