Emergency declaration in New York

On 5 October 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order declaring a statewide disaster emergency to contain a widening measles outbreak. The order, which remains in effect through 4 November 2026, expands the group of medical professionals authorized to administer measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines. Under the new rules, pharmacists, certified midwives, paramedics, and advanced emergency medical service providers can deliver shots, while nurses are authorized to order diagnostic tests. State data shows 108 confirmed measles infections between 1 January and 3 October 2026, compared with a single case in 2023. Of those, 92 cases developed after 15 July across 18 under-immunized rural counties, while seven cases were recorded in New York City.

Local health departments have already distributed more than 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since mid-July. New York State Health Commissioner James McDonald urged the state's 20 million residents to check their immunization status, noting that vaccination remains the most reliable preventative measure.

After reviewing the latest data on measles cases in New York State, I am declaring a State Disaster Emergency to strengthen our ongoing efforts to confront this disease. No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease.

Outbreak spreads across Pennsylvania

The neighboring state of Pennsylvania is experiencing the country's heaviest concentration of infections, surpassing 1,000 cumulative cases in early October. State health officials confirmed that five unvaccinated individuals have died from the disease, including two infants, an 18-year-old, a 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County, and a resident in Lancaster County. Hospitalizations in Pennsylvania have reached 198 patients, and medical providers have documented at least six infants born with congenital measles. Most Pennsylvania infections are clustered across 29 counties, with heavy transmission in rural areas near the New York border, including communities with lower baseline vaccination rates such as the Amish population in Lancaster County.

A dispute over fatality numbers emerged between state and federal authorities in August. US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disputed the state mortality reports, ordering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to modify its counting methods, leaving federal tallies with two confirmed deaths.

Nationwide surge and declining immunity

The resurgence extends far beyond the mid-Atlantic region. The CDC documented nearly 3,900 measles cases across 47 states and Washington, D.C., in 2026, representing the highest annual total since 1991. The agency has tracked 42 distinct local outbreaks this year, with children and teenagers accounting for the majority of patients. Unvaccinated individuals make up roughly 95% of all confirmed infections nationwide. Other states have also experienced sustained transmission: South Carolina recorded nearly 1,000 cases between October 2025 and April 2026, while an outbreak in Utah reached 724 cases since June 2025. Ohio and Texas have also reported sharp increases.

Vaccination rates and elimination status

Public health specialists attribute the resurgence to slipping childhood immunization levels. Achieving herd immunity against measles requires a 95% vaccination rate, but only 10 US states currently meet that benchmark for kindergarten enrollment. In New York, the statewide rate stood at just under 81% at the start of 2026. Health experts in Boston warn that the United States is likely to lose its official measles elimination status, which was established in 2000 and requires no continuous viral transmission for 12 months. Neighboring Canada lost its World Health Organization measles-free classification in 2025.