HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – As October comes to an end, 51 new cases of measles have been reported in Kentucky this month as a total 201 cases are confirmed in the state so far. Christian County is still the hot spot for the outbreak that began in August with the highest number of confirmed cases in Kentucky.
A total of 65 measles cases have been confirmed in Christian County as of Oct. 29, with exposures still rapidly spreading, according to the Kentucky Department of Public Health. On Sept. 15 Christian County Now reported that there were only 20 local cases, which has more than doubled in just over a month.
The outbreak was first announced by the Christian County Health Department on Aug. 13, with cases quickly spreading to surrounding counties. The second highest to Christian County is currently Laurell County with 56 cases, and Trigg County, which has 31 confirmed cases. 11 people have been hospitalized in Kentucky as a result with no fatalities.
The Kentucky Department of Public Health previously said this is the worst outbreak in the state in over 30 years, with the highest number of confirmed cases in 1991.
The individual at the start of the outbreak in Christian County was not vaccinated against measles and is believed to have been exposed through contact with an out-of-state visitor from a community with an ongoing measles outbreak. Kentucky Measles Case Data from the department of public health shows that the bulk of the cases are occurring in people over the age of 18 who were not vaccinated against the measles.
Early symptoms of measles begin 8 to 12 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red/watery eyes. The characteristic measles rash typically appears three to five days after symptoms begin, usually on the face before spreading down to the rest of the body.
Find vaccine information and more about the measles on the Christian County Health Department website.
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