New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak, the first such declaration by a U.S. state since cases began surging in 2025. The state also expanded the pool of health professionals allowed to administer measles-mumps-rubella vaccines as cases rise in rural communities. "No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease," Hochul said in a statement, according to Reuters.
New York has reported 108 measles cases this year through October 3, including 92 since July 15 in under-immunized rural communities across 18 counties — well above typical annual levels. Seven of the cases are in New York City and 101 are elsewhere in the state, and local health departments have administered more than 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since July 15, the executive order states.
The emergency order allows registered nurses to order tests for suspected measles and pharmacists to vaccinate children as young as two. It requires all MMR vaccinations to be reported to state or New York City immunization registries within 72 hours, while waiving adults' consent for such reporting; vaccination itself still requires the consent of the patient or a legal guardian. The emergency took effect Monday and runs through November 4.
Neighboring Pennsylvania is battling a faster-spreading outbreak, with state health officials reporting 1,004 measles cases as of Monday — including 198 hospitalizations — and five deaths, all among unvaccinated people. Lancaster County is the hardest hit with 391 cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded nearly 3,900 measles cases nationally in 2026, making it the country's worst year for the disease since 1991.
