Measles Concentrated in One Lewis County Town

LOWVILLE-Lewis County currently has one tenth of all measles cases in New York State.  Out of 110 measles cases across the state, 11 confirmed measles cases are in Lewis County and all are in the Town of Lowville according to the Lewis County Public Health Department. Ashley Waite, Lewis County public health director said there are both children and adults affected, some of whom are related to each other. All are unvaccinated, and none of the children attend public schools. Governor Hochel has declared a State of emergency across the state and Waite said the declaration will help slow the spread, as it will help health officials identify cases faster and provide more vaccines. Health officials say the best way to prevent getting measles is to be vaccinated, which is 97% effective. Waite went on to say that as long as someone is vaccinated, they should not worry. “There’s little risk to the general public because the majority of our population is vaccinated,” Waite said.