The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services is confirming an outbreak of measles across five counties, noting more cases have been confirmed in the commonwealth this year than in any year since 1991.
The health cabinet says 15 cases of measles have been confirmed in Christian, Owen, Todd, Trigg, and Washington counties in the last four days. That number is expected to increase as the Kentucky Department for Public Health is actively investigating additional reports. Updated case numbers can be found on the KDPH measles dashboard.
The health cabinet says all 19 cases reported in 2026 have been for individuals who were not vaccinated against measles. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other experts say two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are 97 percent effective against the disease.
The health cabinet says the immunization rate among Kentucky kindergartners has recently increased to 90.7 percent, but this remains among the lowest rates in the nation. This comes as the United States is experiencing its largest measles outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
Contact your local health department or primary care provider for more information on measles and the MMR vaccine.
