Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Dr. Steven Stack says despite the state seeing more confirmed cases of measles in any year since 1991, the message from health officials remains a simple one.
“We urge everyone to get vaccinated,” Stack said. “These vaccines are safe, they are proven, and in fact they led to the United States in the year 2000 being declared as a measles elimination country.”
Stack provided an update on the ongoing measles outbreak in the commonwealth during Thursday’s Team Kentucky Update. 25 cases have been confirmed, including five in Washington County. All cases in the outbreak have been in individuals who were not vaccinated against measles.
Stack said vaccination not only protects you, it protects others around you.
“The disease is incredibly contagious, as we’ve said before,” Stack said. “One person in an unvaccinated community would spread it to about 18 other people.”
If you believe you are infected with measles, avoid others to protect them from exposure and contact your medical provider. Find more information on the outbreak at
CHFS.ky.gov.
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