ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) — Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference on Wednesday to provide an update on the state's response to the nationwide measles outbreak. The governor was also joined by New York State Health Commissioner James McDonald. You can watch the conference in the video player abov e. According to Governor Hochul, there have been four cases of measles in New York State so far. Three were located in New York City and one in Suffolk County, and officials believe they are unrelated. Hochul stated that the four New York cases did not constitute an outbreak, but were important to note due to spiking trends in other states. Around the country, there have been around 350 confirmed measles cases, Hochul said, with 81% reported in Texas. One person has also reportedly died from measles in Texas and one death is under investigation in New Mexico, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the state, New Yorkers remain at low risk from the outbreaks in other states. However, Hochul noted that she is "nervous" about an outbreak in Ontario, Canada, where over 270 cases had been confirmed as of March 13. Fiscal Policy Institute warns CDPAP plan could force New Yorkers off of better insurance "West Texas might seem like a long way off but Ontario is just across the border," Hochul said. "It's not a foreign country to people in western New York. It's where you go for dinner and shopping, back and forth across the border." Both Governor Hochul and Commissioner McDonald stressed the importance of proper immunization. According to McDonald, only 81.4% of children under the age of two in New York have been vaccinated against measles. The commissioner's recommended percentage is 95%. Some regions of the state, McDonald said, have shown to have more "vaccine reluctance." In Orange County, 64.9% of people are vaccinated. In Yates County, only 55.8% of people are vaccinated. "There's a lot of reasons why people choose not to get a vaccine, but I think one of the things to underscore is that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — the one that we use right now — has been around since 1971," McDonald said, stressing that the vaccine is safe and effective in protecting someone from a measles infection. "I've been a pediatrician for over 35 years, I still haven't had a parent call me after the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine with a serious concern, and I've personally administered over tens of thousands of doses of vaccine." Test results show increased PFAS in Bennington region McDonald also emphasized how contagious measles is. The illness typically first resembles a cold, including a cough, runny nose and fever, before transitioning into the telltale measles rash. Complications from measles can also include pneumonia, encephalitis and measles immune amnesia, which causes the immune system to forget how to fight other infections, McDonald said. "In a room like this, if someone had measles and you guys weren't vaccinated, everybody would get measles. It's that contagious," McDonald said at the press conference. "Not even just everybody in the room — everybody who walked into the room for the next hour and a half." According to the state, NYSDOH and local health departments are continuing to monitor measles cases both within the state and throughout the globe. In late February, NYSDOH issued a measles health advisory and provided guidance to local health departments and medical providers, including a rundown of what measles looks like and how to test for it. On Wednesday, the governor also launched a new web portal to support vaccination and public health information access. Albany Med child life specialist honored by Children’s Miracle Network According to the state's health department, individuals should get two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in order to be protected. Babies as young as six months old can get their first measles vaccine and should get the three total immunizations on schedule. People born before 1957 are considered immune to measles. Those born between 1957 and 1971 should check with their doctor to make sure they were properly immunized. Those who are unsure about their immunization status should contact their local health department or healthcare provider. "The best way to prevent cases from going up in New York is everybody getting vaccinated," McDonald said. "Measles is not a harmless childhood infection. Measles is a serious disease and it can be prevented." ...read more read less