Officials said they are working to identify anyone who may have been exposed to the virus. The last confirmed case of measles in Kentucky was in 2023.

Kentucky has announced its first confirmed measles case since at least 2023, making the state part of a growing outbreak in the U.S. The announcement came the same day Texas health officials announced the death of an unvaccinated child, marking the first measles-related death in the country since 2015.

Per the CDC, the vaccination rate among Kentucky children, for MMR, has dropped 3.4% between 2018 to 2019 and 2023 to 2024: it now sits at around 90%. Herd immunity for measles can be reached when 95% of the entire community — not just kids — is reached.