The United States has seen 1,288 reported cases of measles so far this year, the most in 33 years.

None of those cases are in Genesee or Orleans counties, which is at 0 for the year, said Nola Goodrich-Kreese, public health educator and public information officer for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out the latest data today, which shows a big uptick in measles, a disease that 25 years ago was declared eliminated in the United States.

Declining vaccination rates for measles, plus the disease’s highly infectious nature, has given it a resurgence, according to public health officials.

Measles is an airborne, extremely infectious, and potentially severe rash illness, the CDC said. Before the measles vaccine was introduced, an estimated 48,000 people were hospitalized and 400–500 people died in the United States each year, according to the CDC.

The CDC reports measles has been recorded in more than three dozen states, including New York State and New York City. The biggest outbreak is in Texas where there have been 753 reported cases.

The CDC says 162 people have been hospitalized in the U.S. and three have died from the measles.

Of those who contracted measles, 92 percent were either unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown.

The age breakdown of the cases include 29 percent under age 5, 36 percent ages 5 to 19, and 34 percent 20 or older. (There are 12 cases or 1 percent where the age is unknown).

Press Release, Tobacco-Free Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Program

BATAVIA – For the last 10 years, the Tobacco-Free Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Program (Tobacco-Free GOW) has worked with community leaders and youth champions to help reduce tobacco use in all three counties.

A new five-year New York State Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities grant for $1.8 million will build on the previous tobacco control and prevention work conducted by Tobacco-Free GOW. The contract from the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control is one of three contracts awarded to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and will be administered under the direction of Maansi Bansal-Travers, PhD.

The Roswell Park tobacco-free programs support efforts to locally educate community stakeholders and youth in changing norms that lead to ending tobacco use among adults and children. Tobacco-Free GOW will continue to be operated by Community Engagement Coordinator Julie Calvert and Reality Check Youth Engagement Coordinator Brittany Bozzer.

“With their extensive contacts and experience in tobacco control, Julie and Brittany will be local leaders as we strive to create healthier communities in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties,” said Program Director Dr. Maansi Bansal-Travers.

“I’m excited to continue my work in tobacco control for another five years and look forward to engaging local community leaders and the public to strengthen tobacco-related policies that prevent and reduce tobacco use,” said Calvert.

Bozzer added, “I have been so privileged to be involved with the many successes that the tobacco control program has had over the last eight years. My role in youth engagement helps me focus on creating a tobacco-free generation, a goal that will help save lives.”

Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Behavior at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center added, “Roswell Park has a long history of leading national and regional tobacco control efforts. These contracts provide an opportunity to continue those efforts in an efficient way that employs local leaders as they strive to prevent youth smoking and create tobacco-free communities throughout Western New York.”

The primary goals of the tobacco control program are to:

• Reduce the impact of retail tobacco marketing on youth by educating communities about the manipulative marketing tactics of the tobacco industry.
• Establish tobacco-free community norms through clean outdoor air policies by working with communities to create more smoke-free parks, playgrounds and beaches.
• Lessen secondhand smoke exposure by working with landlords and tenants to implement smoke-free housing policies in multi-unit dwellings.
• Diminish the environmental impact of tobacco product waste by working with community stakeholders to reduce the plastic pollution generated from cigarette filters and e-cigarette cartridges, as well as holding the tobacco industry accountable for its environmental footprint.
• Monitor and address the challenges with industry-related influences and the changing tobacco product landscape with the continued rise of e-cigarette and nicotine pouch use.

All counties in New York State now have the resources of a community engagement program and a Reality Check youth action program through the Bureau of Tobacco Control. These contracts build on previous tobacco control funded work which supports the region’s public health efforts and provides more comprehensive programing across the state.

The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control funds Tobacco-Free GOW to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement. Efforts are evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches that decrease youth tobacco use, motivate adult smokers to quit, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. The program is administered by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.