New York Declares Statewide Measles Disaster Emergency as U.S. Cases Top 4,000

New York became the first U.S. state to declare a statewide disaster emergency over measles, as Governor Kathy Hochul issued an Executive Order responding to outbreaks in rural areas and neighboring states. The order expands the pool of professionals authorized to administer measles vaccines to include paramedics, advanced EMS providers, pharmacists and midwives, and allows nurses as well as physicians to order testing. New York has reported 108 confirmed cases this year as of October 3, 2026 — seven in New York City and 101 elsewhere in the state. Nationwide, 4,020 cases were reported through October 2, according to the Johns Hopkins U.S. Measles Tracker, after 2,286 cases in 2025. Pennsylvania has the most cases this year at 1,004. The CDC attributes the resurgence to MMR vaccination coverage among kindergarteners falling below the 95% target, rising global measles activity and transmission during high-travel periods.