{
  "id": 12265445,
  "title": "New York declares measles emergency as US cases hit 34-year high",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/new-york-declares-measles-emergency-as-us-cases-hit-34-year-high",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-06T00:42:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/10/1548603/new-york-declares-measles-emergency-us-cases-hit-34-year-high"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency on Monday due to a nationwide surge in measles cases, the first such declaration by a U.S. state since 2025. The state has reported 108 measles cases this year, with 92 cases since July 15 in under-immunized rural communities across 18 counties, exceeding typical annual levels. Seven cases are in New York City, while 101 are scattered across the state.\n\nLocal health departments have administered over 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since July 15. Neighboring Pennsylvania is also grappling with an outbreak, with 977 cases and five deaths as of October 2, mostly in rural counties bordering New York, making it the largest state outbreak in over three decades. The emergency order permits registered nurses to order measles tests and pharmacists to vaccinate children as young as two. It mandates immediate reporting of all MMR vaccinations to state or New York City immunization registries within 72 hours, while exempting adult consent for such reporting. Consent from patients or legal guardians remains required for vaccination itself.\n\nThe emergency, effective from Monday until November 4, aims to prevent serious illness or death from a vaccine-preventable disease. The U.S. is experiencing its worst year for measles since 1991, with nearly 3,900 cases reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.",
  "summary": "NEW YORK: New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak, the first such declaration by a US state since cases began surging in 2025.",
  "key_points": [
    "New York declares state disaster emergency due to measles surge",
    "108 measles cases reported in NY this year, 92 since July 15",
    "Emergency allows MMR testing for nurses and vaccinating children at 2"
  ],
  "editors_take": "New York's state disaster emergency declaration expands healthcare workers' roles in measles response and tightens vaccination reporting, aiming to curb the spread of the disease in under-immunized communities.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Forbes",
        "title": "New York Gov. Hochul Issues State Of Emergency Over Measles Cases",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/new-york-gov-hochul-issues-state-of-emergency-over-measles-cases",
        "published": "2026-10-05T20:01:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "New York declares statewide disaster emergency as measles cases rise",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/new-york-declares-statewide-disaster-emergency-as-measles-cases-rise",
        "published": "2026-10-05T21:23:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBC News",
        "title": "New York state declares measles disaster emergency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/new-york-state-declares-measles-disaster-emergency",
        "published": "2026-10-05T21:42:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The New York Times",
        "title": "Hochul Declares a Measles Emergency as Cases Rise in Rural New York",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/hochul-declares-a-measles-emergency-as-cases-rise-in-rural-new-york",
        "published": "2026-10-06T01:41:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}