New York has declared a state of emergency over the spread of highly infectious – and deadly – measles.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the declaration on Monday ‘in response to the growing number of measles cases across rural areas of New York and neighboring states.’
So far in 2026, there have been seven confirmed measles cases in New York City and 102 in the rest of the state, for a total of 109 cases.
Many of the cases are in rural counties, including 20 in Otsego County, 18 in Seneca County and 14 in Steuben County.
In 2025, there were 20 confirmed measles cases in New York City and 28 in New York state outside of the city.
This year’s total is the most cases the state has seen since 2019.
Hochul said in her emergency declaration: ‘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.
‘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.
‘These emergency measures will protect New Yorkers and support our community partners as they work tirelessly to address the spread of this disease.’
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the declaration on Monday ‘in response to the growing number of measles cases across rural areas of New York and neighboring states’
The US nationwide is dealing with a resurgence of the measles, recording more than 3,880 cases so far this year, the highest number since 1991
The order expands the network of healthcare workers who can administer the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine beyond doctors to include paramedics, advanced EMS workers, midwives and pharmacists.
It also allows for increases in monitoring and vaccination efforts by local communities and community partner organizations.
Additionally, it enhances the state’s ability to respond to outbreaks and extends the ability to order measles testing for patients beyond doctors to nurses.
The state health department also launched a measles dashboard for tracking cases.
According to the governor’s office, since July 15, there have been 92 cases of the measles reported among ‘under-immunized, rural communities’ in 18 counties.
Since then, local health departments have administered more than 1,000 doses of the MMR vaccine across rural areas of the state.
The US nationwide is dealing with a resurgence of the measles, recording more than 3,880 cases so far this year, the highest number since 1991. Five measles-associated deaths have been reported by Pennsylvania health authorities.
However, the CDC has only confirmed two of those deaths to be counted in the measles death toll.
Pennsylvania is the hardest-hit state, recording more than 960 cases.
Cases have now been reported in 45 states, with only Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Nevada yet to record an infection.
About 95 percent of people infected with the virus this year have been unvaccinated or have not disclosed their vaccination status.
The majority of cases have been in school-aged children five to 19 years old, with 1,652 infections, followed by adults aged 20 and older, with 1,533 infections.
The above is a New York State map showing where measles cases have been reported, excluding New York City
The above map shows state-by-state measles cases
There have been 352 hospitalizations, including 96 among children under five years old.
Measles is the most infectious disease known to man – for unvaccinated people, nine in ten of those exposed to the virus will get infected.
Spread via droplets from coughs and sneezes, in the early stages of an infection, patients suffer from symptoms similar to the flu before developing a red rash that appears on the face or hairline before spreading across the body.
In serious cases, the disease can cause life-threatening pneumonia or encephalitis, or brain swelling.
Children under five years old, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk from the virus.
Among those who are not vaccinated, estimates suggest about one out of every 1,000 who are infected develop encephalitis while one to three in every 1,000 dies from the disease.
Infections can be prevented by receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine, offered from the age of 12 to 15 months, which slashes the risk of an infection by 97 percent.
To treat the disease, patients may be prescribed medications to ease symptoms or put on an IV drip to prevent dehydration. There is no antiviral drug for the virus.
