LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — State health officials confirmed Tuesday there is an ongoing measles outbreak in Kentucky with the highest number of cases in 35 years.
According to a release from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 15 cases were confirmed across five counties in western and central Kentucky: Christian, Owen, Todd, Trigg and Washington County.
This comes after four cases were confirmed in Jessamine County in January, bringing the total number of Kentucky cases in 2026 to 19 — the most confirmed cases since 1991.
Health officials said all 19 cases are individuals who were not vaccinated, and two people have been hospitalized. The department said it is actively investigating but it expects case numbers and counties associated with the outbreak to increase.
Measles, a highly contagious respiratory virus, can cause serious health problems, especially in young children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus spreads through the air after someone infected coughs or sneezes. It can then linger for up to two hours after the infected person leaves.
The virus can also be spread if someone touches surfaces that an infected person has touched. Symptoms include a cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by white spots that appear on the face and down the body. Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is the best protection against measles, according to health officials.
The virus is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.
In Kentucky, data shows 90% of kindergarteners are fully vaccinated, which is lower than the national average of 93%. That puts the state's immunization rates among the lowest in the country.
Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for new childhood vaccine recommendations. He's asking that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine be separated into three different single shots given to children at separate appointments.Â
Public health experts have raised concerns that spacing out shots could put kids at risk if they become infected before going back to the doctor.
As of Aug. 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported more than 2,566 confirmed cases across the country — also the highest number of cases since 1991.
The department has a measles dashboard where confirmed cases across the state are tracked and updated each weekday. Click here to access it.
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