Lewis County Reports All 11 Measles Cases Confined to One Town
All 11 confirmed measles cases in Lewis County, New York, are concentrated within the town of Lowville, according to Ashley Waite, the county's public health director. The affected individuals include both children and adults, some of whom are related. Notably, all confirmed cases are among unvaccinated individuals, and none of the affected children attend public schools. This localized outbreak comes as Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency over the increasing number of measles cases across rural areas of New York. Waite stated that the governor's declaration will provide more resources to both state and local health departments, aiding in faster case identification and increased vaccine availability. According to state data, there are currently no confirmed measles cases in neighboring Jefferson or St. Lawrence counties.
