The United States largely eliminated measles by 2000, but experienced several outbreaks amid falling vaccination rates.
Published on October 6, 2026
New York state has declared a state of emergency following a measles outbreak, as cases of the disease that had been virtually eliminated in the United States continue to rise.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Monday she is temporarily expanding the ability of health care professionals to administer measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines.
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“No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” Hochul said in a statement, adding that New York has recorded 108 cases of measles this year, as of October 3. The declaration will remain in effect until November 4.
Hochul’s announcement marks the first such statement since measles cases began to rise in 2025. She said seven cases had been recorded in New York and 101 elsewhere in the state.
Hochul’s statement said 92 cases have been recorded since July 15 in a handful of rural communities with insufficient vaccination rates.
Authorities in neighboring Pennsylvania also announced that the state had surpassed 1,000 measles cases this year, the largest outbreak in the United States in the past three decades. Outbreaks have also been recorded in Texas, Utah, Ohio and South Carolina.
Health experts attribute the resurgence to a decline in vaccination rates below the 95 percent rate they say is necessary to prevent outbreaks.
Critics say the decline has been spurred by an anti-vaccination movement that has gained popularity and supporters within President Donald Trump’s administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
The United States had eliminated the national spread of measles by 2000, with the last outbreak of more than 1,000 cases occurring over several years in New York in the early 1990s.
International officials from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are expected to meet in November to determine whether the United States and Mexico will maintain their measles-free status or whether public health designations will be updated.
“PAHO reiterates the importance of maintaining high and homogeneous vaccination coverage, strengthening epidemiological surveillance and ensuring rapid response to epidemics, as essential pillars to stop transmission and maintain the elimination of measles in the countries of the Americas,” the organization said in a previous statement.
Gn Health
