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Measles cases surge past 150 in Kentucky; big outbreak identified in one county
WLKY • • general
Key Points:
- Kentucky's measles cases have surged to 157 in 2026, with a significant outbreak in Laurel County, which now reports 56 cases, up from seven just days ago.
- The outbreak primarily affects unvaccinated individuals from several large, isolated households, with only one case fully vaccinated and one partially vaccinated.
- Nine of the reported cases have resulted in hospitalization, but no deaths have been recorded so far; this marks a sharp increase from just 13 cases in 2025 and none the previous year.
- Measles is a highly contagious viral disease with symptoms including high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and rash, and can be severe in vulnerable populations such as infants and pregnant women.
- Kentucky health officials, including Dr. Steve Stack and Governor Andy Beshear, emphasize the importance of vaccination to prevent measles, attributing the resurgence to misinformation and urging the public to get vaccinated.
