More people in New York are getting sick with measles. Measles is a virus that spreads very quickly from person to person. To help stop the outbreak, New York State declared a disaster emergency.
The state governor changed rules so more health workers can give measles vaccines. Vaccines are shots that protect people from getting sick. Health experts say high vaccination rates are necessary to keep communities safe.
New York has reported 108 cases of measles this year. Most of these cases happened in rural communities where fewer people had their shots. Neighboring states are also reporting high numbers of sick people.
The United States largely eliminated measles in the year 2000. However, cases are rising again across the country because fewer people are getting vaccinated.