KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — New York City’s health department shuttered a child care centre for allegedly failing to provide vaccination records following a measles outbreak.
CNBC reported that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared last week measles as a public health emergency and instructed people living in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighbourhood, where measles was spreading, to get vaccinated.
“It’s crucial in this outbreak that child care programmes and schools maintain up to date and accurate immunisation and attendance records,” Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot was quoted saying.
“It’s the only way we can make sure schools are properly keeping unvaccinated students and staff out of child care centers to hasten the end of this outbreak.”
The city reportedly said 23 child care programmes and Orthodox Jewish schools have received violations for breaking the city’s order to ban unvaccinated children, with the United Talmudical Academy in Williamsburg the first to be shuttered.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reportedly said 77 out of the 90 new measles cases reported last week were in New York.
Williamsburg is reportedly home to a significant Orthodox Jewish population, some of whom have refused to immunise their children.