FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – The number of confirmed measles cases in Kentucky continues to rise, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH), part of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
Back on August 27, there were a total of 29 cases for the year, 25 of them during the ongoing outbreak. As of Monday morning, that number has risen to 43, with 39 in the current outbreak.
The KDPH dashboard says all 43 cases involve individuals who are unvaccinated, or whose vaccination status has not been determined. Nine cases involve children who are under five years of age, 18 of them are ages 5-17 and the other 16 are 18 years old or older. Three of the patients have required hospitalization.
Breaking down the number of confirmed cases by county, Christian County has had 17 and Trigg reports seven. There were five each in Barren and Washington counties, four in Jessamine County, two apiece in Caldwell and Owen counties and one case in Todd County.
The illness onset date includes four cases in January, eight in July and 31 in August. No onset dates have been reported yet in September.
CHFS Secretary Dr. Steven Stack, who was formerly the Commissioner of Public Health, says measles is extremely contagious. “One person in an unvaccinated community would spread it to about 18 other people. In very strong contrast, if you are immunized, and everyone else in this room is immunized, I will not get the disease, 97 out of 100 times. That’s how effective the vaccination is.”
He continues to urge everyone to get vaccinated.
“These vaccines are safe, they are proven, and in fact, they led to the United States in the year 2000 being declared as a measles elimination country. Because of the real horrible guidance causing harm to people all over the country, now the CDC has on its website a be prepared for measles webpage.”
The KDPH dashboard, which tracks cases back to 2011, shows no cases up to 2018, two cases in 2019, none from 2020 to 2022, two in 2023, none in 2024, 13 in 2025 and this year’s 43.
“We now have the most measles cases in Kentucky in more than 35 years and the highest nationwide two years in a row,” Stack added.
