New York Declares Measles Emergency Amid Pennsylvania Outbreak

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday due to a measles outbreak, expanding authorities to vaccinate and test residents as cases surge.

The declaration, which took effect October 5 and runs through November 4, allows registered nurses to order tests for suspected measles and pharmacists to vaccinate children as young as two. New York has reported 108 measles cases this year through October 3, with the majority occurring in rural communities among populations with low immunization rates.

This is the first statewide disaster emergency declared in New York this year over a measles outbreak. The declaration comes as Pennsylvania battles the nation's largest measles outbreak in over three decades, surpassing 1,000 cases this week. Pennsylvania has reported five deaths linked to measles, a figure disputed by federal health officials who have confirmed two fatalities nationally.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 3,887 confirmed measles cases nationwide as of October 1, the highest annual total since 1991. Measles was officially declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but imported cases and localized outbreaks have continued. Health experts attribute the resurgence to vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, leading to falling vaccination rates, with the majority of 2025 and 2026 cases in children and teens.