MEASLES is usually accompanied by a rash which breaks out three to five days from onset of symptoms. Early symptoms of measles include high fever, cough, runny nose and red/watery eyes. (Photo courtesy of Mayo Clinic)
Woodford County Public Health Director Cassie Prather announced three positive cases of measles had been detected in Woodford County on June 28, 2025.
“There is a current outbreak of measles in our community. All of the cases are unvaccinated individuals,” Prather said in a statement to the Sun.
The state health department reported the cases last week along with a fourth, unrelated, in Todd County involving someone known to have been exposed while traveling internationally. All four Kentuckians were unvaccinated. Prather said the Woodford County cases are also believed to be related to travel.
Prather encouraged people to “do their part and vaccinate.”
“Measles is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. It can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children. One in five cases is hospitalized, one of every 20 children develop pneumonia, which can lead to death or even brain swelling. You can protect your family and your community by being vaccinated,” Prather said in the statement to the Sun.
She added, “The measles vaccination is 97% effective. Measles spreads through the air when a sick person coughs or sneezes. The virus can stay in the air for two hours after a person with measles leaves the space. It is so contagious that about nine out of 10 people who come near a person with measles and are not protected by vaccination will also become infected.”
According to the health department, symptoms include: a rash (3 to 5 days from onset of symptoms), fever (as high as 104), cough, runny nose, and red or watery eyes. All of the symptoms do not need to be present.
Prather said the disease investigation is ongoing. The Woodford County Health Department is working to interview, assess and diagnose cases to determine exposures and possible transmissions.
These cases occur amid the largest measles outbreak in the United States since it was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported more than 1,200 cases this year.
This marks six total measles cases reported in Kentucky this year.
“Measles is a serious disease,” Kentucky Department for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said in a press release. “Fortunately, people can avoid measles through safe and effective vaccinations. We urge all parents to have their children vaccinated to ensure they are protected from preventable diseases like measles.”
Updates can be found on the health department’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/woodfordhd.