Measles outbreak reaches Fayette County

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — On Monday, health officials reported that an ongoing measles outbreak in Kentucky has worked its way to Fayette County.

In a news release on June 27, Kentucky health officials said three cases were from one Woodford County household, with the fourth in Todd County involving an international traveler who was exposed to the virus.

According to a news release, a fifth case was found in Fayette County, believed to be connected to the cases in Woodford County.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services said the cases are happening during a global outbreak of measles. The cabinet said cases have been seen in Mexico and Canada, and this is the largest measles outbreak in the United States since measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported more than 1,200 cases this year in 2025, including several large outbreaks in other states.

“When there are measles outbreaks in other states and nearby countries, it is not surprising to see spread to Kentucky,” said Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Dr. Steven Stack. “Measles can be very serious, but it is avoidable through vaccination. We urge all parents to have their children vaccinated to ensure they are protected from preventable diseases like measles.” 

Measles facts and symptoms

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services wrote that early symptoms of measles begin eight to 12 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red or watery eyes. The characteristic symptom is a rash that typically appears three to five days after symptoms begin, usually on the face before spreading down to the rest of the body. The virus is highly contagious and can cause serious health complications in children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been over 1,200 reported cases in the US so far in 2025.

Measles is preventable with vaccination, with the first dose routinely given in combination with the 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 the MMR vaccine are 97% effective against measles, according to the CDC.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services said immunization rates among Kentucky’s kindergartners have declined based on the most recent school immunizations survey for the 2024-2025 school year, indicating that only 86.9% of Kentucky kindergarteners are fully vaccinated against measles.