International Desk || New York State has declared a state of emergency as measles continues to spread across the United States, with 108 cases reported in the state through October 3.Governor Kathy Hochul declared the emergency on Monday, which will remain in effect until November 4.Under the emergency measures, registered nurses will be allowed to order tests for suspected measles cases. Pharmacists will also be permitted to administer measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines to children as young as two.Of the 108 measles cases reported in New York, seven are in New York City and the remaining 101 are from other parts of the state.The outbreak has accelerated in recent months. As many as 92 cases have been reported since July 15, with infections recorded across 18 rural areas where vaccination rates are relatively low.“No one should become seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” Hochul said.The neighbouring state of Pennsylvania is also experiencing a major measles outbreak. As of Monday, 1,004 cases had been reported there, with 198 patients hospitalised and five deaths recorded.It is the largest measles outbreak in any US state in more than three decades.Measles has also spread in Texas, Utah, Ohio and South Carolina. Nearly 3,900 cases have been reported across the United States this year, making 2026 the country's worst measles year since 1991.Health experts attribute the resurgence largely to declining vaccination rates. They say measles can spread rapidly when vaccination coverage falls below 95 percent.The United States declared measles eliminated as an endemic disease in 2000. However, declining vaccination rates in recent years have allowed the highly contagious disease to return.Officials from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are scheduled to meet in November to determine whether the United States and Mexico can retain their measles-free status.