A measles outbreak has been reported in central Kentucky, with four confirmed cases identified thus far. Three cases were located in Woodford County, while a fourth was confirmed in adjacent Fayette County, according to WKYT. Additionally, the Kentucky Department of Public Health has indicated a confirmed measles exposure in Jessamine County. However, officials clarified that a measles case reported last week in Todd County is not connected to the current outbreak. As a result, Kentucky’s total number of measles cases this year has reached seven: six of those cases involved individuals who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status remains unclear, while one case involved a person who had received only one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, which is 97% effective at preventing infection.
Across the country, a dozen states are grappling with active measles outbreaks, each consisting of three or more related cases. Significant outbreaks are being reported in Texas, New Mexico, as well as in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Alberta, and in Chihuahua, Mexico. Texas reported an additional three cases on Tuesday, bringing its total to 753, although fewer than ten individuals are considered actively infectious, as noted by the AP. New Mexico had recorded 94 cases as of Friday.
Kentucky officials are particularly alarmed by the outbreak, given that the vaccination rate among kindergartners in the state is below 87%, significantly lower than the national average of 93%, according to WTVQ. Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s secretary for Health and Family Services, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that one infected individual can transmit measles to as many as 18 unvaccinated people. “The message is real simple: Get vaccinated,” he urged.
