Kentucky health officials address concerns after measles case reported in Frankfort

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Health officials are addressing concerns about the measles after a confirmed case was reported in Frankfort.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health announced this week that an adult in the area had contracted the virus after traveling internationally to regions with ongoing measles transmission. It is unknown at this time whether the adult was vaccinated or not.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been three outbreaks this year, including one fatal case in Texas. Local health experts emphasize that unvaccinated individuals account for nearly all of the cases.

Molly Parsch, a representative from Metro Public Health and Wellness, confirmed that the measles virus has not been detected locally yet, but its potential spread remains a concern.

"The virus is airborne," Parsch said. "It can linger in a room for up to two hours after someone infected leaves."

Measles can also spread through droplets from sneezes or coughs.

Parsch noted that measles is highly contagious. For example, if one person with measles is in a room with ten unvaccinated individuals, nine of them will likely contract the virus.

"If it finds a pocket of unvaccinated individuals, like we're seeing in Texas, it can spread really quickly," she said.

One local resident, Deja Jackson, expressed her surprise over the recent outbreaks. Jackson, a mother of a 7-year-old son, admitted that measles hadn’t been on her radar until recently.

"I started thinking about whether or not I or my son had gotten the vaccine, and I checked our medical records to make sure we didn't miss any boosters," she said.

For protection, experts recommend staying up-to-date with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.

According to Parsch, having both doses of the vaccine makes it about 97% effective.

"I'm just thankful that that vaccine exists," Jackson said after confirming that both she and her son are vaccinated.

As the CDC continues to track measles cases across the country, health officials stress the importance of vaccination as the best defense against the virus.

For more information, resources and more, click here for KDPH's measles page. For information from the CDC, click here.

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