New York State has declared a measles emergency as cases of a disease once nearly eliminated in the United States continue to rise. Governor Kathy Hochul said she is temporarily expanding the authority of health workers to administer the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
"No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease," Hochul said in a statement, noting that New York has recorded 108 measles cases so far this year as of October 3. The emergency declaration will remain in effect until November 4.
This is the first time New York State has issued a measles emergency since cases began climbing in 2025. According to Hochul, seven cases were recorded in New York City and 101 in other parts of the state. The declaration states that 92 cases have been recorded since July 15 in several rural communities with vaccination rates below required levels.
Neighboring Pennsylvania also announced it had surpassed 1,000 measles cases this year, the largest outbreak in the United States in three decades. Outbreaks have also been recorded in Texas, Utah, Ohio and South Carolina.
Health experts attribute the resurgence to vaccination rates falling below the 95% threshold considered necessary to prevent outbreaks. Critics say the decline stems from a growing anti-vaccine movement that has supporters within President Donald Trump's administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The United States eliminated domestic transmission of measles in 2000, with the most recent outbreak of more than 1,000 cases occurring over several years in New York City in the early 1990s.
International officials from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are expected to meet in November to determine whether the United States and Mexico can maintain their measles-free status, or how those public health designations may be updated.
"PAHO reiterates the importance of maintaining high and uniform vaccination coverage, strengthening epidemiological surveillance and ensuring timely outbreak response, as essential pillars to stop transmission and sustain measles elimination in the countries of the Americas," the organization said in an earlier statement.
