|
Lewis County Public Health Confirms Two New Measles
Cases, Bringing Confirmed Total to 13 in County; Update in Case Reporting
Announced
Published: October 07, 2026
at 04:00 p.m.
By: linkinglewiscounty.com
Lowville, NY- Lewis County
Public Health has confirmed two new cases of the measles virus on
Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county to
13. All 13 cases are in unvaccinated individuals. Public Health officials
confirm that the previous 11 cases were all located in the Town of
Lowville. No location was provided for the two new cases.
The
Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccine has a 97 percent efficacy rate, meaning
immunized individuals have a very low risk of contracting the virus.
Approximately 80 percent of individuals in Lewis County have received the
MMR vaccine, according to data from New York State Department of Health. Unvaccinated
individuals, young infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised
individuals are at the highest risk for severe complications. If you have
symptoms or someone has notified you of an exposure, stay home, public
health officials advise.
Early symptoms
typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and include: High fever (often
rising above 101 degrees F), cough, runny nose (coryza), red and/or watery
eyes (conjunctivitis). Subsequent
symptoms include a red, blotchy rash typically appearing 3 to 5 days
after initial symptoms begin, usually starting on the face along the
hairline and spreading downward to the rest of the body.
In a press
release issued Wednesday, October 07, 2026, Lewis County Public Health updated
how they will communicate new case information going forward:
“Lewis County
Public Health would like to notify residents, community partners, and
members of the media of a change in how local measles case updates will be
shared moving forward. Due to the rising number of measles cases in our
area, Lewis County Public Health will now maintain the most up-to-date
local case information on the Lewis County Public Health website. Rather
than issuing a new press release each time an additional case is confirmed,
Public Health will update the online measles case chart as new information
becomes available. Residents, community partners, and members of the media
are encouraged to use the website as the primary source for the latest
Lewis County measles case numbers. Measles updates can be found at: www.lewiscountypublichealth.com. The chart will be updated as soon as new
case information becomes available. This change will allow Lewis County
Public Health to provide timely updates in one consistent location as the
situation continues to develop.”
About Measles
Measles is a
viral illness spread through coughing and sneezing. The virus can remain
alive and infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after
an infected person has left the room. An individual who has measles is
contagious 4-days prior to a rash beginning and 4-days after the rash
appears. Symptoms of measles typically begin between 7 and 14 days after
exposure to the virus. Approximately 9 out of 10 unvaccinated individuals
who are exposed to the virus will contract it.
For more
information on the measles virus or the MMR vaccine, visit the Lewis County Public Health website or call Lewis
County Public Health at 315-376-5453.
|
