New York’s governor just escalated the measles fight to disaster status. On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a statewide emergency, marking the first measles disaster declaration by a US state since the 2025 spike, reports Reuters. New York has logged 108 cases so far this year as of Oct. 3, 92 of them since mid-July, largely in undervaccinated rural areas in 18 counties. Gothamist notes that Otsego, Seneca, and Steuben counties are among the hardest hit, according to a state tracker.
“No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” Hochul said. The New York Times notes there’ve been no measles deaths reported as of yet this year in New York state, according to state health officials. The order temporarily widens who can give the measles-mumps-rubella shot: Pharmacists can now vaccinate children as young as 2, and registered nurses can order tests for suspected cases, per Reuters. Providers must report vaccinations to state or New York City registries within 72 hours.
Standard consent rules still apply to getting the shot itself. The move comes as neighboring Pennsylvania reports more than 1,000 cases and five deaths, its biggest outbreak in more than 30 years. The Times notes that Utah and South Carolina have also been slammed with cases. Nationally, the CDC says the US is enduring its worst measles year since 1991, with nearly 3,900 infections, per Reuters. New York’s emergency declaration runs through Nov. 4.