The New York governor, Kathy Hochul, declared a state of emergency on Monday in response to a dramatic spike in measles cases in the state.
Hochul’s administration said the emergency declaration was in response to a “growing number of measles cases across rural areas of New York and neighbouring states”, including Pennsylvania, which has been grappling with a deadly outbreak that is its largest in more than three decades.
The declaration expands the pool of people who can administer vaccines against measles and allows more individuals to order testing.
It comes as there have been 108 confirmed cases of measles in New York so far for the year, up from just one reported case in 2023. In Pennsylvania, which neighbours New York, five people have died after contracting the disease, and there have been 198 hospitalisations.
The state surpassed 1,000 measles cases on Monday while Ohio has also seen an increase.
“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.
“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.”
Source: The Guardian, 6 October 2026
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