New York declares measles disaster emergency as rural cases rise
Version 2: New outlets added specifics to the same event: the declaration's November 4 end date, a 72-hour reporting window for MMR vaccinations, updated national and Pennsylvania case figures, and the New York Times' note that the state's 108 cases are its most since 2019.
In short
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak, an order CNN reported is the first such declaration by a U.S. state since cases began surging in 2025. The state has reported 108 cases this year through October 3 — seven in New York City and 101 elsewhere — including 92 since July 15 in under-immunized rural communities across 18 counties. The order expands who may vaccinate and test for measles, runs through November 4 and requires MMR vaccinations to be reported to immunization registries.
Read the full story 3 min read
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak, an executive order her office said was needed to strengthen the response to rising cases in rural areas and neighboring states. CNN reported it was the first such declaration by a U.S. state since measles cases began surging in 2025, while The Hill called it the first statewide disaster emergency this year. The order remains in effect through November 4, according to The Hill. [ 4 , 5 , 8 ]
New York has reported 108 measles cases this year through October 3, the governor's office said: seven in New York City and 101 elsewhere in the state. Ninety-two of the cases have been reported since July 15 in under-immunized rural communities across 18 counties, which the executive order described as well above typical annual levels. The New York Times said the 108 cases are the state's most since 2019. [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
The order expands the pool of health professionals allowed to administer measles-mumps-rubella vaccines to include paramedics, advanced EMS providers, pharmacists and midwives in addition to physicians, according to Newsweek and The Hill, and allows registered nurses to order tests for suspected measles, CNN reported. The Hill said the newly authorized providers may vaccinate children as young as two. CNN reported the order requires all MMR vaccinations to be reported to state or New York City immunization registries; The Hill put the reporting window at 72 hours. Local health departments have administered more than 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since July 15, according to CNN and The Hill. [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]
“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,” Hochul said in a statement carried by the New York Post and Newsweek. “No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease. That is why I have taken steps to increase the number of health professionals who can vaccinate and test.” [ 5 , 7 ]
Nationally, the documents describe a broader resurgence. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, CNN reported, and in the quarter century that followed there was an average of 180 cases a year nationwide. The New York Times said nearly 4,000 cases have been reported across the United States this year, and CNN cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures showing nearly 3,900 cases — the worst U.S. measles year since 1991. [ 4 , 6 ]
Neighboring Pennsylvania is contending with a larger outbreak. CNN, citing the executive order, said Pennsylvania had 977 cases and five deaths as of October 2, mostly in rural counties bordering New York, and that state health officials said Monday the total had passed 1,000, the largest state outbreak in more than three decades. The Hill reported the Pennsylvania Department of Health dashboard showed 1,004 cases as of Tuesday morning, including 198 hospitalizations and five deaths. Newsweek cited a CDC map showing Pennsylvania with 963 cases as of October 1, followed by South Carolina with 670 and Utah with 535. [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]
Why it matters
The declaration widens the pool of health professionals who can test and vaccinate in New York, a step officials say is meant to slow spread in rural counties bordering Pennsylvania. It comes as the documents describe a national resurgence, with nearly 4,000 U.S. cases this year and Pennsylvania reporting the largest state outbreak in more than three decades, so the response is relevant beyond New York.
Key facts
- Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak, CNN and the New York Post reported. [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- New York has reported 108 measles cases this year through October 3 — seven in New York City and 101 elsewhere in the state, according to the governor's office. [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Ninety-two cases have been reported since July 15 in under-immunized rural communities across 18 counties, the executive order says. [ 4 , 5 , 8 ]
- The emergency expands the group of health professionals authorized to administer MMR vaccines, allowing registered nurses to order tests for suspected cases. [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- The declaration remains in effect through November 4, The Hill reported. [ 8 ]
- Local health departments have administered more than 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since July 15, according to CNN and The Hill. [ 4 , 8 ]
- Neighboring Pennsylvania's outbreak passed 1,000 cases, with five deaths, state officials said, per CNN and The Hill. [ 4 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, declared a state disaster emergency over the measles outbreak. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- New York has reported 108 measles cases this year through October 3, with seven in New York City and 101 elsewhere in the state. [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Ninety-two cases have been reported since July 15 in under-immunized rural communities across 18 counties. [ 4 , 5 , 8 ]
- The emergency measures expand the number of health professionals authorized to vaccinate and test for measles. [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Local health departments have administered more than 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since July 15. [ 4 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- The exact reporting deadline for MMR vaccinations to state or New York City immunization registries. CNN's article text is cut off at “within …”, while The Hill alone states a 72-hour window, a single-source detail.
- What caused the low immunization rates in the affected rural communities. The documents describe the communities as under-immunized but give no reason.
- Whether the disaster emergency changes any rules specifically for New York City, where seven cases are reported. The declaration is described as statewide, with no city-specific measures stated.
- Pennsylvania's precise measles case total and trend. Outlets give differing figures and dates: 977 cases as of October 2 in the executive order cited by CNN, 963 as of October 1 on the CDC map cited by Newsweek, and 1,004 as of Tuesday morning on the state dashboard cited by The Hill.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Reuters publishes its headline reporting that New York declared a disaster emergency over a measles outbreak. [ 1 ]
- Reuters publishes Spanish- and Portuguese-language versions of the same headline. [ 2 , 3 ]
- CNN reports the declaration is the first by a U.S. state since cases began surging in 2025, with 108 cases in New York this year through October 3. [ 4 ]
- The New York Post reports the declaration and quotes Governor Kathy Hochul saying the emergency measures will protect New Yorkers. [ 5 ]
- The New York Times reports the state has had 108 cases this year, its most since 2019, and nearly 4,000 cases nationwide. [ 6 ]
- Newsweek publishes the following morning, citing a CDC map showing Pennsylvania with 963 cases as of October 1. [ 7 ]
- The Hill reports the declaration runs through November 4 and Pennsylvania has recorded 1,004 cases as of Tuesday morning. [ 8 ]