By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The number of confirmed measles cases in Kentucky continues to rise in the ongoing outbreak, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health, part of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
On Aug. 27, there were a total of 29 confirmed cases for the year, 25 of them during the ongoing outbreak. As of Thursday, the year-to-date number has risen to 82.
The KDPH dashboard says 80 of the 82 cases involve individuals who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status has not been determined. Eleven of the cases involve children who are under five years of age, 38 of them are aged 5-17 and the other 33 are 18 years old or older. While seven of the patients have required hospitalization, Kentucky hasn’t had any deaths.
Breaking down the number of confirmed cases by county, Christian County has had 36 and Trigg reports 19. There were five each in Barren, Carroll and Washington counties; four in Jessamine County; two apiece in Caldwell, Lewis and Owen counties; and one case each on Trimble and Todd counties.
The illness onset date includes four cases in January, nine in July, and 34 in August and 35 in September.
CHFS Secretary Dr. Steven Stack, who was formerly the Commissioner of Public Health, has said 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, you 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 82.
“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.