Above: Lakewood in the 1950s

LAKEWOOD - While a growing measles outbreak has prompted officials in one New York county to ban unvaccinated children from public spaces, buses and trains, New Jersey officials say no similar plans are being considered in Ocean County despite a stubborn outbreak here.

As of last week, New Jersey had eight confirmed measles cases so far this year, and six of those were related to an ongoing outbreak in Ocean County, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. Two other cases in Bergen and Essex counties were isolated outbreaks related to international travel, said health department officials.

In contrast, health officials in Rockland County, New York, a suburb north of New York City and Paramus, reported 153 cases of measles. About 82 percent of those cases happened in people who never received the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, according to the Rockland County Health Department.

On Tuesday, Rockland County officials banned unvaccinated minors from public places where 10 or more people congregate, such as churches and synagogues, parks, restaurants, day cares, schools and public buses and trains.

New Jersey Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal said New Jersey has no plans to follow Rockland County's measures.

“There are a number of interim steps we can take if we see a surge in the number of cases," he said.

Last year, for example, when Ocean County had 30 cases of measles, the county and state health departments set up tents in Lakewood to evaluate possible cases while limiting exposing others to the virus. More than 12,000 vaccines were also distributed throughout the area to help inoculate those who wanted to be vaccinated, Elnahal said.

In November, at the peak of the outbreak, the Ocean County Health Department encouraged schools and daycare programs to consider excluding unvaccinated children from programs to curtail the spread of the virus.

Those measures ended when that outbreak was declared over in January. But only a few weeks had passed before health officials received reports of new cases in Ocean County.

Measles is highly contagious and airborne and has the potential to infect someone on the other side of a room, said Elnahal.

Though measles is often a mild infection that includes fever, rash, cough and red eyes, the virus can be deadly. Measles kills about 100,000 people worldwide every year, and most of those deaths are in children under 5, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Even when not fatal, in severe cases measles can cause permanent hearing loss; encephalitis, or swelling of the brain; deafness; intellectual disability; and premature birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lakewood Mayor Raymond Coles said despite the outbreak in Lakewood, township officials are also not considering any measures like those undertaken in Rockland County.

"We're urging parents to make sure their children are properly vaccinated," Coles said. "Sometimes it's an uphill battle trying to counter the misinformation that's out there."

Both outbreaks have predominately affected people in the Orthodox Jewish communities. In Lakewood, the observant Jewish community has been divided between some parents who are passionate about vaccination choice and religious leaders who, on the advice of the medical community, are urging vaccination.

"For the safety of their children, themselves and their neighbors, vaccination is the smart thing to do," Coles said.

The outbreaks across the region are "completely preventable" and can be avoided by vaccination, said Elnahal, the state health commissioner.

More:NJ health officials warn of additional measles exposure in Ocean County

Before vaccination, about 500,000 cases of measles were reported each year to the CDC. Among those cases, about 400 to 500 people died each year and 48,000 were hospitalized with serious complications, according to the CDC. Vaccination led to a 99 percent decrease in cases, according to the centers.

Elnahal said he would consider adopting a measure like Rockland County's ban on unvaccinated children in public if New Jersey's outbreak grows significantly. Currently, he said he has no such plans.

Attempts to control the spread so far are focused on vaccination, Elnahal said.

In Rockland County, noncompliance with the restrictions carries penalties of six months in jail or a $500 fine, but officials there said police would not seek proof of vaccination. They could refer people in violation to the District Attorney's office.

The Rockland County ban "makes no sense," said Mihaela Vomir of Manchester in a Facebook message to a reporter. "Why would completely healthy people be quarantined?"

Others have questioned whether the ban is even enforceable.

"Does everyone need to carry their shot records? How can this be enforced?" asked Brett Ulozas of the New Egypt section of Plumsted.

The ban will last for 30 days, according to Rockland County officials.

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Amanda Oglesby: @OglesbyAPP; 732-557-5701; aoglesby@gannettnj.com