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Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Oct 5, 2026
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Jim Franco/Albany Times Union via Getty Images
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Oct 5, 2026
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Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency Monday in response to the spread of measles across rural parts of the state as an outbreak ravages neighboring Pennsylvania.
Statewide, 108 cases of measles have been reported through Oct. 3, including 92 cases reported since mid-July in “under-immunized, rural communities” across 18 New York counties, according to the governor’s office.
Ostego, Seneca and Steuben counties are among those with the highest number of measles cases this year, according to a state health department tracker. New York City is not flagged as an area experiencing a measles outbreak. There have been seven confirmed measles cases in the five boroughs so far this year, compared with 20 in all of 2025.
Statewide, there were 48 confirmed cases last year.
Hochul issued an executive order Monday directing state agencies to help local governments manage the outbreak and stop the disease from spreading.
The governor’s order modifies state regulations to allow a wider range of healthcare professionals to vaccinate and test patients for measles and suspends the requirement for adults to consent to having their vaccination status included in a state registry when they get immunized.
"No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” Hochul said in a statement. “These emergency measures will protect New Yorkers and support our community partners as they work tirelessly to address the spread of this disease."
Dr. James McDonald, the state health commissioner, urged New Yorkers to “check their vaccination status and make sure that they and their families are protected” and called on healthcare providers to watch for symptoms of the disease.
Measles is highly contagious and often causes a rash of small, raised bumps. Other symptoms can include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms typically come on seven to 10 days after exposure, the CDC says.
But nationally, the United States is experiencing its worst year for measles since 1991, according to the Associated Press. More than 3,880 cases have been reported and dozens of new outbreaks have occurred across the country so far this year, including more than 1,000 cases in Pennsylvania, according to the CDC.
Also Monday, New York state joined a coalition of 15 states suing the Trump administration over its changed guidance on childhood vaccines.
The lawsuit filed in California asks a judge to invalidate the federal government's new vaccine schedule, contending the changes are dangerous, unlawful and made arbitrarily.
Earlier this year, the CDC stopped recommending seven vaccines for children, including protections against hepatitis B, RSV, and meningitis. The CDC did not make official changes to its measles vaccination recommendations.
New York and many other states opted not to adopt the changes.
Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, did not comment immediately.
Hochul’s order lasts through Nov. 4.
Tagged
Health and Science
measles
new york state
pennsylvania
public health
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis is on the health care beat for WNYC and Gothamist. She has covered COVID, a nurses' strike, the overdose crisis and New York’s marijuana legalization effort, and spent a year investigating patients' medical bills. She always wants to hear about how everyday New Yorkers experience the health system. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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