NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — After recent measles outbreaks in Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn, city and religious leaders are urging parents to vaccinate their children.
The outbreaks have come in Borough Park and Williamsburg, where there have been 121 cases of measles, putting eight people in the hospital.
Deputy Health Commissioner Dr. Demetre Daskalakis warned of the dangers of the outbreak, saying, “Measles is a disease that can be fatal. It can cause complications like pneumonia”
Rabbi David Niederman of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, said, “It’s good for you, good for the community, that you take the precautions, which is vaccination.”
In a close knit community, Niederman said, even a few unvaccinated individuals are a health threat.