The New York City Health Department has closed a tenth yeshiva in the city – ninth in Brooklyn – due to violation of the order to bar unvaccinated children and adults from entering the building.
The Central UTA Boys Division in Williamsburg allegedly allowed staff and students without documentation of immunity into the school. In addition, the school was penalized for not providing inspectors with vaccination and attendance records within the required period, and for not having an adequate staff to student ratio.
“School staff, parents, and health care providers need to continue playing their role in bringing this outbreak to an end,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot.
“We’ve seen our weekly case counts decline, but the reality is, this outbreak is not over, and the Health Department will continue to use all the resources and strategies available to us. We urge anyone who can get vaccinated to do so.”
Earlier this month, a nine-month-old baby was diagnosed with measles in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.
The Bais Chaya Mushka Girls School in the community also informed parents via robocall of a confirmed case of measles in the building last week as well, saying, “We are waiting for guidance from the Department of Health” and warning all students not to come to school unless they are vaccinated.
In New York City alone, there have been 588 confirmed cases of measles to date since the start of the outbreak last October, with 437 of those cases – 74 percent – having occurred in the Williamsburg neighborhood (zip codes 11205, 11206, 11211, 11249). As a result, people living and/or working in those zip codes have been required under Emergency Order since April 9 to be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
At least 40 people have been admitted to hospitals due to infection with the virus, including 11 people who were admitted to intensive care units with complications from the illness, in New York.