Kentucky health officials announced this week a second confirmed measles case has been reported in the Commonwealth in 2025.
The second case occurred in March in a child who was traveling through the Commonwealth when they sought treatment. The child, who is not a resident of the United States, was diagnosed at a health care facility in Kentucky, which is why the case will be counted as a Kentucky incident.
The health care facility adhered to strict safety protocols, eliminating the risk of spread to other patients. There are no other cases and no risks of exposure to Kentuckians associated with this case. This Kentucky associated measles case comes amidst health officials’ reporting declining immunization rates among Kentucky’s kindergartners.
Results from the most recent assessment of kindergarten vaccines for the 2024-2025 school year were released today, which show that immunization coverage has dropped to the lowest rates in over seven years for Kentucky kindergarteners. Coverage among kindergartners for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is effective at preventing diseases, including measles, and is legally required for school attendance in Kentucky, has dropped to 86.9%, which is lower than the national average of 93%. By comparison, MMR rates for Kentucky kindergartners were at 90.0% for the 2023-2024 school year.
This decline of MMR vaccine coverage is occurring during the largest outbreak of measles in the United States since measles was declared eliminated in the country in 2000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 800 cases so far in 2025, including several large outbreaks in other states.
“These are concerning trends that we are seeing,” said Kentucky Department for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack. “It is really important that folks are properly informed about vaccines so they can take safe steps to protect their children. Vaccines are safe and effective. We urge all parents to have their children vaccinated to ensure they are protected from preventable diseases like measles.”
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can cause serious health complications, especially in young children. Measles is spread through the air and can remain suspended in the air for up to two hours. Early symptoms of measles begin 8-12 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose and red/watery eyes. The characteristic measles rash typically appears three to five days after symptoms begin, usually on the face before spreading down to the rest of the body.
The first dose of measles vaccine is routinely administered in combination with mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) to children at age 12 months through 15 months, and a second dose at age 4 through 6. Two doses of MMR vaccine is 97% effective against measles according to the CDC.
Full results of the most recent assessment of kindergarten vaccines are available on the Kentucky’s immunization data dashboard.
Kentucky’s first confirmed measles case of 2025 occurred in an adult Kentucky resident in February. There were no other confirmed cases associated with the February measles case.
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services