Kentucky confirmed 69 more measles cases last week, bringing total in this outbreak to 170
Kentucky confirmed 69 more cases of measles last week, bringing the total for this current outbreak to 170.
The number of hospitalizations rose to 10, up from the nine that were reported last week.
As of Oct. 19, the state measles dashboard shows that measles cases have been confirmed in Barren (5 cases); Bath (1); Caldwell (7); Carroll (5); Christian (53); Laurel (56); Lewis (2); Owen (2); Todd (2); Trigg (31); Trimble (1); and Washington (5) counties. (Four cases were reported earlier this year in Jessamine County, but are not part of this current outbreak.)
Bath County was the only new county to confirm a case of the measles last week, with Caldwell County showing an increase of three cases; Christian, an increase of eight cases; Laurel, an increase of 49 cases; Todd, an increase of one case; and Trigg, an increase of six cases.
The Laurel County Health Department said in a news release that all 56 of its cases “have been identified within several large households with limited interaction with the broader community. The total number of cases reflects all cases identified since late August and should not be interpreted as the number of individuals who are currently ill or infectious, as some cases occurred earlier in the investigation period.”
Further, LCHD says, “There have been no identified public exposures associated with these cases.”
According to the dashboard, all except two of the 170 measles cases have been in people who either were not vaccinated, or their vaccination status was unknown. The dashboard reports that one of the individuals had received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and one had received the recommended two-dose series of the vaccine.
Health officials continue to urge Kentuckians to make sure they have been immunized from the disease. The two-dose vaccine is typically given to children at 12 to 15 months and then at 4 to 6 years old, but can be given at any age.
“We can all still protect ourselves if we go get the measles, mumps, rubella immunization. Two doses are 97% effective,” Health Secretary Dr. Steven Stack told WKYT-TV.
Early symptoms of measles begin seven to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red/watery eyes. The characteristic measles rash can appear three to five days after symptoms begin, usually on the face before spreading down to the rest of the body.
Because measles is so contagious, anyone who is concerned about being exposed to measles is asked to call their provider or local health department to seek guidance on how to proceed. Anyone who has measles should talk to their healthcare provider from home and stay away from other people until their symptoms are resolved.