NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared a measles outbreak in Brooklyn to be a public health emergency and is ordering mandatory vaccinations.
The mayor held a news conference Monday morning at the Brooklyn Public Library in Williamsburg, where he discussed the city’s ongoing efforts to combat the highly contagious and potentially deadly illness.
"This is the epicenter of a measles outbreak that is very, very troubling and must be dealt with immediately," he said. "We cannot allow this dangerous disease to make a comeback here in New York City. We have to stop it now."
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De Blasio announced mandatory vaccinations for everyone in parts of Williamsburg who are unvaccinated and may have been exposed to infected patients. The emergency order is for people living in the ZIP codes 11205, 11206, 11221 and 11237.
The declaration requires all unvaccinated people in those areas who may have been exposed to the virus to get the vaccine, including children over 6 months old. Those without proof of vaccination may be given a violation and could face a $1,000 fine.
More information on the emergency order is here.
The Health Department said Monday it will fine or shutter yeshivas and daycare centers in Williamsburg if non-vaccinated students are allowed to attend classes during the current measles outbreak.
"The Health Department today announced it has issued Commissioner’s Orders to all yeshivas in Williamsburg affected by the school exclusion mandate," read a news release. "This means that any school out of compliance will immediately be issued a violation."
To stop the spread of measles, Gary Schlesinger, CEO of Parcare Community Health Network, told CBS 2 that they must first stop the spread of misinformation.
“There is no religious exemption on measles,” Schlesinger said. “All prominent rabbis have issued proclamations that everyone should vaccinate.”
The measles outbreak in the Orthodox Jewish community is now at 285 cases since it began last October. Of the 285 cases, 246 are children 18 and under, and 39 are adults, according to the Health Department. Twenty-one people have been hospitalized.
In December, the Health Department ordered yeshivas and childcare centers serving the Orthodox Jewish community in the affected ZIP codes in Brooklyn to exclude all unvaccinated students from attending school or daycare until the outbreak is declared over.
In January, one yeshiva in Williamsburg fell out of compliance with the Department’s exclusion mandate, allowing unvaccinated children back into school or daycare. This single yeshiva is connected to more than 40 cases, resulting in a large increase in measles cases and the continuation of the outbreak.