Photo credit: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul / New York State
By Watertown Post Staff
Photo credit: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul / New York State
New York has declared a statewide disaster emergency over a growing measles outbreak, and for residents of Jefferson and Lewis counties, this is not simply an Albany or downstate story.
Governor Kathy Hochul issued the declaration on Monday, October 5, expanding the response to increasing cases in rural communities. The order broadens the pool of professionals who can administer measles vaccines and allows nurses, in addition to physicians, to order testing, according to Buffalo Toronto Public Media’s reporting on the announcement.
State health officials say measles cases have been increasing in rural areas of New York. The New York State Department of Health has also launched a statewide measles dashboard to track confirmed cases by region and county outside New York City. New York State Department of Health
The numbers are particularly worth watching in Jefferson County. According to state vaccination data, just 58.4 percent of children had received at least one MMR dose by age two as of January 1, 2026. That compares with the report’s 80.9 percent statewide rate. The registry-based report covers New York State outside New York City.
Lewis County stood at 78.7 percent, while neighboring St. Lawrence County was at 77.6 percent. The state cautions that some county vaccination figures may be understated because vaccines administered through federal entities may not always be reported into state databases. That qualification could be especially relevant in an area with a large military population surrounding Fort Drum; the data do not establish how much this affects Jefferson County’s reported rate. New York State Department of Health
The Jefferson County number nevertheless stands out sharply. Among counties in the state’s report, Jefferson’s reported 58.4 percent rate is one of the lowest in New York.
Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases. The virus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and state health officials say someone can become infected simply by entering a room where a person with measles had been as much as two hours earlier. Among people without immunity who are exposed, as many as 90 percent may become infected. New York State Department of Health
Symptoms typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose and red or watery eyes. A rash generally appears several days later, beginning around the face and spreading down the body.
For families in Watertown and across Jefferson and Lewis counties, state officials are recommending that residents verify that they and their children are current on the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are approximately 97 percent effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus, according to the Department of Health. New York State Department of Health
Anyone who believes they or a child may have measles should contact a healthcare provider or county health department before walking into a doctor’s office, urgent care center or emergency department. Calling ahead allows healthcare workers to take precautions so other patients are not exposed.
The emergency declaration expands vaccination and testing capacity as health agencies respond to the outbreak.
For Northern New York, the situation is worth following closely. Jefferson County’s unusually low reported childhood MMR vaccination rate, combined with an outbreak that state officials say has increasingly involved rural New York, puts the North Country squarely into the conversation.
The Watertown Post will continue watching state and local data for any confirmed cases reported in Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence counties.
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