The Cabinet for Health and Family Services has confirmed a case of the measles in Jessamine County.
The confirmation comes after a measles exposure in Fayette County earlier this month. The CHFS reports the case was found in a child 5 years old or younger.
It's the first new case of measles in Kentucky since July, and the first in 2026. The Jessamine County Health Department has been reaching out to those who might have been exposed.
The exposure stems from an unvaccinated out-of-state visitor staying at the Hyatt Place in Hamburg from December 31 to January 2. The visitor also dined at the Panera Bread on Alysheba Way January 1.
The state's health department reported 13 cases of measles statewide last year.
An exposure was also reported last month in Grant County from a traveler who visited the Ark Encounter theme park in Williamstown and stayed at the Holiday Inn in Dry Ridge.
Measles is a respiratory disease that can be dangerous for babies or young children.
Melinda Barkley is the Communications and Marketing Director for the Jessamine County Health Department. She says the chance of it being a risk to the wider public is low, but those exposed, especially those who are unvaccinated, run the risk of being infectious.
"We do ask that if they have been in contact with somebody that has measles and they are showing symptoms, they definitely want to reach out to their physician or their local health department, preferably by phone first," she said.
Health officials recommend two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and rashes. The CHFS says to watch for those symptoms for 21 days after being exposed.
