NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The New York City Department of Health announced that it will fine or shutter yeshivas 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."
The release added, "The measles outbreak in the Orthodox Jewish community continues to increase at an alarming rate."
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, the Department of Health said. 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.
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