MEASLES OUTBREAK: NEW YORK

THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS ON HIGH ALERT AFTER A MEASLES OUTBREAK HAS SPREAD INTO PARTS OF THE CITY.

OVER A DOZEN CASES OF THE DISEASE HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED AND IN HEAVILY JEWISH AREAS.

STAUT WITH SIX CASES DIAGNOSED IN BROOKLYN'S WILLIAMSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD.

A SIGNIFICANT ORTHODOX COMMUNITY.

PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS STATED THAT THE OUTBREAK APPEARS TO BE LINKED TO TRAVELERS WHO HAVE RECENTLY FLOWN HOME FROM ISRAEL.

ANOTHER DISEASE NOT CURRENTLY IMPACTING NEW YORK BUT DO POSE A GREATER DANGER IS ACUTE PLACID MYELITIS, A POLIO-LIKE SYMPTOM CAUSING PARALYSIS IN CHILDREN PRECONTINUE TO NEMLEY.

62 CASES IDENTIFIED ACROSS 22 STATES.

JUST EXACTLY WHAT ARE THE RICKS OF THESE TWO DISEASES POSED TO CHILDREN?

WHY ARE THE CHANCES THAT THE OUTBREAK COULD SPREAD EVEN FURTHER?

FOR THAT WE NOW TURN TO DR. EVY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT NYU'S SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, HOW UNUSUAL IS THIS OUTBREAK OF MEASLES WE'RE SEEING, IN THE CITY, AND IN THE STATE?

IT'S UNUSUAL GIVEN WE HAVE A VACCINE FOR MEASLES, BUT SEEMS TO BE BECOMING MORE COMMON BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY IS GETTING VACCINATED.

MEASLES IS A RELATIVELY COMMON VIRUS.

BECAUSE THERE IS A VACCINE IT'S NOT PERFECT BUT MOST PEOPLE WERE GETTING IT, WE DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF FOLKS WITH MEASLES DEVELOP.

NOW SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE OPTING AGAINST THE VACCINE AND THAT'S BECOMING A MORE COMMON TREND.

WHAT HAPPENS IS, YOU LOSE SOMETHING CALLED HERD IMMUNITY.

THE IDEA OF THAT, ONE PERSON DOESN'T GET VACCINATED BUT EVERYBODY AROUND THEM DOES, THE CHANCE OF ANY OF THEM GETTING SICK IS VERY LOW, BECAUSE THE VIRUS CAN'T TAKE HOLD AND AFFECT THAT PERSON UNVACCINATED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE UNVACCINATED THE VIRUS HAS A CHANCE TO ATTACK ANY ONE OF THEM AND THEN SPREAD MORE QUICKLY WITHIN THE GROUP.

THE REASON PEOPLE ARE, OR PAR PARENTS, ARE NOT GETTING KIDS VACCINATED?

BECAUSE OF THAT FEAR THAT'S DEVELOPED THAT VACCINES HAVING IN -- SOMETHING TO DO WITH AUTISM?

AUTHORITY OF IT.

A PAPER HAS BEEN DEBUNKS KPLOOETLY BASED ON FRAUDULENT DATA.

THERE ARE OTHER REASONS.

WE DIDN'T SEE MEASLES BECAUSE THE VACCINE WAS EFFECTIVE AND PEOPLE GET A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY.

MAYBE ERADICATED, DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AS MUCH.

IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO GET THE VACCINE NOT JUST TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD BUT TO PROTECT EVERYBODY AROUND YOU.

AS I SAID, THE OUTBREAK HAS BEEN LINKED TO PEOPLE RETURNING FROM ISRAEL.

IS THAT STILL THE LATEST?

STWHAL WE KNOW?

AS FAR AS I KNEOW, YES.

DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVERSEE THIS AND KNOW WHAT COUNTRIES ARE SUFFERING FROM CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AND DO THEY TRACK IT?

DO THEY TRACK THE PEOPLE WHO RETURN FROM THESE COUNTRIES SO THEY CAN WARN THEM?

TO SOME DEGREE.

THE CDC KEEPS AN EYE ON EVERYTHING GOING ON GLOBALLY AND HAVE TO RELY ON DATA.

RIGHT?

SOMETIMES YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW IF AN OUTBREAK IS OCCURRING UNLESS A PERSON IS DYIAGNOSED AD IT'S REPORTED.

WITHIN THE U.S., THEY KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON IT.

MEASLES SYMPTOMS ARE WIDELY KNOWN AND COMPLICATIONS TO THEM.

WHAT ARE THEY?

HOW SERIOUS CAN IT GET?

FOR THE MOST PART IT'S NOT NECESSARILY -- REGULAR SYMPTOMS OF FEVER YOU MIGHT HAVE.

YOU KNOW, MUSCLE ACHES.

RASH, ET CETERA.

THE RASH IS CLASSIC, YOU CAN SEE SPOTS INSIDE THE MOUTH AND COMING DOWN FROM THE HEAD DOWN THROUGH THE BODY.

LIKE IN THE PALMS AND FEET.

IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION, MORE RARE, THE PERSON CAN HAVE PNEUMONIA AND BRAIN SWELLING.

VERY SERIOUS.

MOSTLY KIDS.

PROBABLY BECAUSE ADULTS CAN GET IT, TOO.

IN THE PAST GENERATIONS MORE ADULTS HAVE BEEN VACCINATE AND ARE A LITTLE MORE PROTECTED.

QUICKLY, THE ITTY IS DOING A GOOD JOB WITH THIS OUTBREAK?

A GREAT JOB YOU BUT DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO'S VACCINATED AND WHO ISN'T.

AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE VACCINE YOU CAN STILL GET IT.

TURN TO AFM.

A POLIO-DISEASE.

SOUNDS SCARY.

HOW CLOSE IS IT?

CAN CAUSE WEAKNESS IN AN E EXTREMITY.

THE PERSON MAY NOT USE THAT LIMB, LEG OR ARM, AS MUCH.

FOR A CHILD, DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, CAN'T DESCRIBE IT TO YOU, YOU MIGHT SEE A RIGHT-HANDED CHILD SUDDENLY IS RELYING ON THE LEFT ARM.

RIGHT?

MAYBE THEY'RE SUBSTITUTING IN A WAY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T USE THAT MUSCLE AS WELL.

PROBLEM IS, IT CAN PROGRESS FROM JUST THAT AREA AND THE THING WE WORRY ABOUT IS THAT IT COULD AFFECT THE MUSCLES OF THE FACE, MUSCLES THAT HELP YOU WITH YOUR BREATHING.

A PERSON WHO MAY HAVE TROUBLE, SEE A FACIAL DROOP, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SWALLOW AS EFFECTIVELY AND COULD CHOKE, ASPIRATE ON SOMETHING.

SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE ACCESSORY MUSCLES THAT HELP YOU BREATHE, NOT WORKING, YOU CAN HAVE TROUBLE BREATHING.

IF YOU NOTICE THAT IN A CHILD, GET IT CHECKED OUT IN A CHILD AND ADULT, OF COURSE, THINK ABOUT STROKE, OTHER ISSUES.

BETTER TO JUST GO TO THE E.R.

DOCTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ENLIGHTENING US ON THESE DISEASES.

THANK YOU.