Confirmed measles case in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – The Kentucky Department for Public Health has confirmed a case of measles in an adult resident of Frankfort. According to health officials, the individual was diagnosed after recently traveling internationally to an area with ongoing measles transmission.

The state health department is now working to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed to the virus. Officials say the infected person visited Planet Fitness on Allen Way in Frankfort while contagious on Monday, February 17, between 9 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Those who were at the facility during that time could have been exposed.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that spreads through the air and can survive in an area for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. Symptoms typically begin 8 to 12 days after exposure and include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

This is the first confirmed case of measles in Kentucky in two years, with the last reported case in February 2023. Health officials are urging anyone who may have been exposed to monitor for symptoms and contact a healthcare provider if they develop signs of the virus.