New York declares measles disaster emergency as Pennsylvania outbreak tops 1,000 cases — the worst US surge since 1991

From the Newshound archive · first published 6 October 2026 · last updated 7 October 2026.

Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state disaster emergency in New York after 109 measles cases were confirmed — the highest total since a 2019 outbreak — with rural counties including Otsego, Seneca and Steuben among the hardest hit. The emergency order broadens the range of professionals authorised to administer MMR vaccines to include paramedics, midwives and pharmacists, and gives registered nurses the authority to order tests for suspected cases. Nationally, nearly 3,900 cases have been recorded across 47 states, making this the most severe measles year since 1991. Pennsylvania's outbreak, the largest in the country in over three decades, has crossed the 1,000-case threshold and is linked to five deaths.

RFK Jr. claimed in August that Pennsylvania's measles deaths were 'fabricated' and directed the CDC to revise its method of counting fatalities — federal officials have confirmed only two.

Measles has reached Philadelphia International Airport, with officials warning travellers of possible exposure as the virus spreads beyond rural communities.

Health experts blame falling child vaccination rates on vaccine hesitancy, with the majority of 2025 and 2026 cases in children and teenagers who are unvaccinated.