New York Declares State Disaster Emergency Amid Measles Outbreak

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order on Oct. 5 declaring a statewide disaster emergency in response to an ongoing measles outbreak.

As of Oct. 3, New York has recorded 108 measles cases this year, including seven in New York City and 101 across the rest of the state, according to the governor’s office.

Hochul said the emergency declaration would enable the state to respond to the outbreak more quickly and allow healthcare professionals to take additional measures to facilitate more vaccination and testing.

“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,” she said in a statement. “No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease.”

Hochul also said she had received her seasonal flu shot and urged New Yorkers to do the same.

Her office stated that since July 15, at least 92 measles cases had been reported in rural communities across 18 counties where vaccination rates were low.

Measles is an airborne disease that spreads when an infected person sneezes or coughs. This disease could cause serious complications, including blindness, ear infections, pneumonia, and in some cases, death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is a developing story and will be updated with additional details.