At least two people staying at a sprawling migrant shelter in New York City have contracted measles and health officials in the Big Apple are working to stop the spread of the disease, according to reports.
The outbreak took place at a migrant shelter on Hall Street in Clinton Hill, a huge taxpayer-run facility which opened last year. The facility houses around 3,000 migrants.
The two people who tested positive are being quarantined on one floor of the building while dozens more are also being quarantined, according to CBS.
Measles is a highly contagious and serious airborne disease that can lead to severe complications and even death, especially in children. It is characterized by a fever as high as 105°F and malaise, cough, coryza and conjunctivitis followed by spots and a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The news comes amid a spike of measles cases in the city, with 11 cases reported in 2024 as of July 12, according to the city’s health department. That is up from just one case last year, which followed three consecutive years of zero cases being reported. In 2019, a major outbreak in the city saw 605 cases.