Measles infections are skyrocketing nationwide, with over 3,800 cases recorded across the country. While the United States had largely eliminated the disease by 2000, several outbreaks have emerged amid declining vaccination rates.
Pennsylvania is currently experiencing the largest state outbreak in more than three decades. State health officials have confirmed 1,004 cases of measles, resulting in five deaths and 198 hospitalizations.
In response to the crisis, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday, the first such declaration by a U.S. state since cases began surging in 2025. New York has reported 108 measles cases so far this year, with seven cases in New York City and 101 in under-immunised rural communities elsewhere in the state.
The executive order allows New York to respond more quickly to the outbreak and expands who can administer MMR vaccines as the state mobilizes measures to fight the spread.