Two more cases of measles reported in Cattaraugus County last month

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

Cattaraugus County recorded two residents with cases of measles last month. They are the second and third unvaccinated residents to test positive for measles in the past two months.

The report by Public Health Director Dr. Kevin D. Watkins to the Cattaraugus County Board of Health on Wednesday noted two additional cases from out-of-state residents who sought treatment at Olean General Hospital led to a lot of contact tracing by health department staff.

One person, he said, had 48 contacts to run down and see if they were vaccinated, Watkins said. Luckily, all the people contacted had previously been vaccinated.

Watkins said anyone who visited the emergency room at OGH between 8 p.m. on Oct. 26 and 3 a.m. Oct. 27 is asked to contact the health department.

Cattaraugus County’s first confirmed case of measles was reported in early September, involving a resident of the northwest part of the county. 

The individual was a member of the Amish community who normally shun vaccines and is believed to have contracted the disease in the Chautauqua County Amish community. 

It was the first case of measles involving a county resident since September 1990, when 56 cases were reported in the Amish community of western Cattaraugus County. Before the epidemic was over, 197 unvaccinated Amish had come down with measles. At the same time, there was an epidemic of whooping cough that affected 167 Amish residents.

As of Tuesday, the New York State Department of Health had reported 210 confirmed cases of measles among state residents. One death of an unvaccinated child from measles is suspected in the northern part of the state.

In neighboring Pennsylvania, 45 of the state’s 67 counties have reported 1,467 cases of measles with many concentrated in the Lancaster area’s unvaccinated Amish population. There have been six deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 4,852 cases of measles this year through October. All states have reported measles cases except. Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada and New Hampshire.

With the prospect of more cases of measles in children and adults, the health department has been contacted by many Amish families asking to be vaccinated, Watkins said.

The health department’s mobile vaccination team has administered 77 doses to unvaccinated Amish, Watkins said. Health officials are anticipating more contacts from Amish or “plain” families asking to be vaccinated.

The MMR vaccine covers measles, mumps and rubella.

Watkins said the department has been building trusting relationships with the Amish community and its primary caregiver. Staff, he said, have been welcomed into Amish homes when they reached out for help.

There is still a hesitancy among many members of the community to share contact information and delayed reporting of cases of measles, Watkins said.

Another long-standing community epidemic — fentanyl overdose deaths — is continuing to drop quickly this year, Watkins said. So far this year, the county has recorded one  fentanyl death and one suspected death, he said.

That is a giant drop from a high of 28 opioid deaths in 2023.

There were 12 opioid deaths in the county in 2020, 13 in 2021, 27 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 9 in 2024 and 7 in 2025.

Watkins credits the widely available harm reduction products made widely available — including Narcan, an opioid antidote. 

This year, 55 overdose victims were saved by the Narcan nasal spray widely carried by first responders, Watkins said.

The health department also makes fentanyl test strips available.

A variety of treatments are also available for those who are addicted to opioids.

Watkins also added a warning about so-called gas station heroin, which contains the herbal supplement kratom. One ingredient, mitragynine produces an opioid-like effect and is highly addictive.

A sanitarian from the health department recently purchased a bottle of the product from a local convenience store, Watkins said. There is no regulation of the product and no guarantee against contamination by other substances.

The ingredient mitragynine is associated with damage to kidneys, liver, heart, lungs and can cause neurological problems.

Patient Services Director Lynn Moore said 1,633 doses of flu vaccine were administered at 19 vaccination clinics this year or given to the Pines nursing homes at Olean and Machias.

More reported 19 cases of influenza A, 15 cases of Covid and 1 case of RSV in October.

She also reported the health department’s Home Care program had discharged its last patient to another provider on Oct. 23. 

The home care program used to have nearly 300 patients, but that dropped quickly after the county legislators decided last year to discontinue the service and turn it over to the Kaleida-owned Visiting Nurse Association.