Measles outbreak in Kentucky spreads to Fayette County

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky health officials warn that a measles outbreak that started in Woodford County has spread to nearby Fayette County.

Health officials said Monday there are five measles cases in Kentucky, four of which are connected to the outbreak in Woodford County. One of the cases, in Todd County, is not related to the cases in Woodford and Fayette counties.

According to Kentucky's Cabinet for Health and Family Services website, there have been seven total cases of measles in Kentucky this year.

Nationwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there have been more than 1,200 measles cases this year, making this the largest measles outbreak in the country since the virus was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.

The first 2025 measles case was reported in an adult in February.

Measles is a very contagious respiratory virus that can cause serious health problems, especially in youth children. The virus is spread through the air, where it remains for up to two hours.

Early symptoms of measles can begin 8-12 days after exposure, and include high fever, cough, running nose and red/watery eyes. A rash can form three to five days after symptoms begin, and beginning as flat, red spots on the face and spreading down. When the rash appears, fevers may spike, according to the CDC.

There is no treatment for measles, as doctors try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

Getting the measles vaccine

The measles vaccine is given in a combination with the mumps and rubella vaccines (MMR), and the first dose is given to children at age 12 months through 15 months. The second dose is given to children age 4 through 6. According to the CDC, two doses of the MMR vaccine is 97% effective against the measles virus.

Immunizations among Kentucky kindergarteners have declined recently. In a recent survey, only 86.9% of kindergarteners were fully vaccinated against measles, lower than the national average of 93%.

Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC said. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.

People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have “presumptive immunity."

Other states with measles cases

Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

Health officials declared earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania over after six weeks of no new cases. Tennessee’s outbreak also appears to be over.

Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.

To find updated information about measles cases in Kentucky, click here.

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