Measles was nearly eliminated in the United States by 2000, but several outbreaks occurred as vaccination rates declined.
Published October 6, 2026
New York state has declared a state of disaster emergency over the measles outbreak as cases of measles, once nearly eradicated in the United States, continue to rise.
New York Gov. Cathy Hochul said Monday that she will temporarily expand the capacity of health care professionals to administer the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
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“No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” Hochul said in a statement, adding that as of Oct. 3, New York state had recorded 108 measles cases this year. It added that the declaration will remain in effect until November 4.
Hochul’s announcement marks the first such declaration since measles cases began to rise in 2025. He said seven cases were recorded in New York City and 101 cases in other parts of the state.
According to Hochul’s declaration, 92 cases have been recorded since July 15 in a small number of rural areas where vaccination rates are inadequate.
Authorities in neighboring Pennsylvania also announced that more than 1,000 people have been infected with measles in the state this year, making it the largest measles outbreak in the United States in 30 years. Outbreaks have also been recorded in Texas, Utah, Ohio, and South Carolina.
Health experts blame the resurgence on vaccination rates falling below the 95% needed to prevent further spread.
Critics say the decline has been fueled by the anti-vaccination movement’s growing popularity and gaining supporters within President Donald Trump’s administration, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The United States eliminated the domestic measles epidemic by 2000, the last time New York City experienced more than 1,000 cases in several years in the early 1990s.
International officials from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are scheduled to meet in November to decide whether the United States and Mexico will maintain measles-free status or renew their public health designations.
“PAHO reiterates the importance of maintaining high and homogeneous vaccination coverage, strengthening epidemiological surveillance, and ensuring timely outbreak response as key pillars to halt measles transmission and maintain eradication in countries of the Americas,” the organization said in an earlier statement.
