New York (GNP): New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a State Disaster Emergency over a rise in measles cases. She signed the executive order on Monday. It is the first such declaration by a US state since infections began surging in 2025.
According to the order, 108 measles cases have been reported among state residents this year, counted through Saturday. Of these, 92 have been reported since July 15, largely in under-immunised rural communities across 18 counties. New York City has reported seven cases.
The order gives health authorities two immediate tools. It allows more healthcare professionals to administer measles vaccines, widening the pool of people who can deliver them. The state has also launched a Measles Dashboard so the public and health officials can track local risks.
The emergency took effect on Monday and runs through November 4, according to a release by the New York State government.
New York is not facing the outbreak alone. Measles cases are rising across rural areas of the state and its neighbours. The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced on Monday that 1,004 cases have been confirmed across 39 counties this year, including five measles-associated deaths.
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The national picture is similar. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 3,887 confirmed measles cases as of October 1, 2026. Of these, 3,869 were reported by 47 jurisdictions, while 18 were among international visitors.
Vaccination coverage helps explain the pattern. The CDC says coverage among US kindergartners has declined in recent years, falling to 92.4% in the 2025-2026 school year. That is below the 95% target, and some communities are lower still.
Against that background, the CDC recommends two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as the best protection against measles.
