The New York State Department of Health today announced the first case of measles in New York State outside of New York City in 2025, the third case in the state this year, amid a global and domestic increase in measles cases. The case was identified in a patient less than 5 years of age who resides in Suffolk County and was confirmed at the Department's Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany.
The State Health Department is closely monitoring this case—along with Suffolk County and New York City health officials — and have alerted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All New Yorkers are urged to protect themselves by making sure they're up to date on important, lifesaving immunizations.
"Our epidemiology and vaccine experts at the State Health Department and the State’s Wadsworth Lab are working in collaboration with the health officials of Suffolk County, New York City and Northwell Health to monitor and investigate this case and any potential exposures," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "Measles can be very serious. It’s much more than just a rash as complications can include pneumonia and inflammation of the brain, and often results in hospitalization. The most important thing people can do to protect themselves is to ensure they've been properly immunized against measles and immediately get a shot if they are not."
All partners are collaborating with Northwell Health, the parent company of Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Queens where the patient is being treated, to investigate the case and are taking the necessary proactive steps to prevent the spread of measles.
It has been determined there was potential exposure to measles for the public and persons who visited the pediatric emergency department at Cohen Children's Medical Center on March 3 to March 4, 2025 or visited an inpatient child on the Medicine 3 unit from March 3 to March 6, 2025.
These times reflect the potential exposure period when the infected individual was in the identified areas. As this investigation is ongoing, potential other exposures are also being assessed.
Cohen Children's Medical Center is contacting patients who visited the emergency department and the pediatric floor at the time of the potential exposure and has identified patients who are at high risk who may require timely treatment. Anyone who feels they were exposed should consult with their doctor or pediatrician.
Measles is a highly contagious, serious respiratory disease that causes rash and fever. In some cases, measles can reduce the immune system's ability to fight other infections like pneumonia.
Serious complications of measles include hospitalization, pneumonia, brain swelling and death. Long-term serious complications can also include subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a brain disease resulting from an earlier measles infection that can lead to permanent brain damage.
Measles during pregnancy increases the risk of early labor, miscarriage, and low birth weight infants.
Measles is caused by a virus that is spread by coughing or sneezing into the air. Individuals can catch the disease by breathing in the virus or by touching a contaminated surface, then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. Complications may include pneumonia, encephalitis, miscarriage, preterm birth, hospitalization, and death.
The incubation period for measles is up to 21 days. People who are exposed to measles should quarantine 21 days after exposure and those who test positive should isolate until four days after the rash appears.
Symptoms for measles can include the following:
7-14 days, and up to 21 days after a measles infection
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
3-5 days after symptoms begin, a rash occurs
- The rash usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
- Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
- The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.
- When the rash appears, a person's fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.
A person with measles can pass it to others as soon as four days before a rash appears and as late as four days after the rash appears.
The single best way to prevent measles is to be immunized. Individuals should receive two doses of Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine to be protected. Those who aren't sure about their immunization status should call their local health department or health care provider. Those who were born before 1957 have likely already been exposed to the virus and are immune. Those born between 1957 and 1971 should check with a doctor to ensure they've been properly immunized as vaccines administered during that time may not have been reliable.
Health care providers should report suspected measles cases to their local health department.
Visit the Department's dedicated measles website here for information about the measles, immunization data, and information for providers.
More information about the measles vaccine can be found here.