New York declares measles disaster as US endures worst outbreak year since 1991

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday declared a statewide disaster emergency over a measles outbreak, the first such declaration by a US state since cases began surging in 2025 — and a measure of how far a disease declared eliminated a quarter-century ago has come back. New York has reported 108 measles cases this year through October 3, including 92 since July 15 concentrated in under-immunized rural communities across 18 counties — well above typical annual levels. Seven of the cases are in New York City and 101 elsewhere in the state. Local health departments have administered more than 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since July 15. The emergency order, which runs through November 4, expands the pool of health workers allowed to fight the outbreak: registered nurses can now order tests for suspected measles without a physician's sign-off, and pharmacists can vaccinate children as young as two. All MMR vaccinations must be reported to state or New York City immunization registries within 72 hours. 'No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,' Hochul said. The driver is falling vaccination coverage. State data show that as of the beginning of 2026, only 80.9% of children statewide had received at least one MMR dose by age 2 — far below the levels needed for herd immunity. In the hardest-hit counties the numbers are worse: 71.2% in Seneca County, 77.5% in Otsego County and 79.1% in Steuben County. Otsego has recorded 20 cases, Seneca 17 and Steuben 14. 'The concerning rise in measles cases is due to a decrease in childhood vaccines driven by misinformation and is causing a public health emergency,' said state Senator Gustavo Rivera. New York is not alone. The US is having its worst year for measles since 1991, with nearly 3,900 confirmed cases recorded by the CDC as of October 1 — 95% of them linked to outbreaks. Neighbouring Pennsylvania has passed 1,000 cases, its largest outbreak in more than three decades, with five deaths and 198 hospitalizations; Lancaster County, with sizeable Amish and Mennonite populations, remains the hardest hit with 391 cases. Pennsylvania's figures are excluded from the CDC's national count amid a dispute between Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr over how measles deaths are classified. Ohio, which also borders Pennsylvania, has reported more than 200 cases. Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000; for the quarter century that followed, the country averaged just 180 cases a year. The resurgence that began in 2025 — including a West Texas outbreak of at least 762 cases last year and a South Carolina outbreak that neared 1,000 before it was declared over in April — has now forced a state of emergency. The lesson health officials keep repeating is the simplest one: the MMR vaccine is the best protection, and it is failing to reach the children who need it.