Louisville experts urge measles vaccinations for kids in response to recent case in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A recent measles exposure at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has Louisville medical experts warning parents.

Norton Healthcare doctors said measles is incredibly contagious. It can spread through the air with a cough or a sneeze and could put your child in the hospital if they're not vaccinated.

Common symptoms of measles include fever, cough, a runny nose and a rash that begins on the face or head and spreads to the body. In serious cases, children may develop pneumonia or brain swelling that can lead to hearing loss.

Dr. Kristina Bryant with Norton Children's Hospital said it can take days for the symptoms to appear and can easily infect people who aren't protected.

"Measles can be very serious," Bryant said Wednesday. "One in five people who are unvaccinated who develop measles will need to be hospitalized. One in 20 children may develop pneumonia."

Bryant said measles are on the rise nationwide, especially among children who have not gotten their measles vaccine. She encouraged parents to check if their children are up to date on the measles vaccine, a two-dose series that would better protect your child if they were exposed.

The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report late last year that the number of measles cases rose by nearly 20% after immunization levels dropped to their lowest in 15 years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The increase in measles outbreaks and deaths is staggering, but unfortunately, not unexpected given the declining vaccination rates we’ve seen in the past few years," the CDC’s John Vertefeuille said in a statement.

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