Health officials: New measles case linked to Asbury revival

JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - The State Department of Public Health has confirmed a new case of measles in Kentucky, and officials say that person attended part of the 16-day revival at Asbury University.

State health officials say the person is a Jessamine County resident. They say the person is unvaccinated and was at the revival on February 18.

They say anyone else who attended that day could have been exposed. They’re encouraging anyone who is not vaccinated against measles to quarantine for 21 days and to get the measles vaccine.

Asbury University requires its students to receive the two-dose MMR vaccine. But with tens of thousands descending on the small town of Wilmore during those days, Dr. Lee Dossett says it’s a cause for concern.

“You have people coming in from across the state, across the country,” Dr. Dossett said. “Anyone who was there that day or any of the days, check your vaccination status.”

CDC data shows the vaccine is about 97% effective if you’ve received two doses. Yet only about 86.5% of kindergarten-aged Kentucky children have gotten it. That’s below the national average of over 93%.

“A lower vaccination rate does put people at risk because you don’t have that herd immunity,” said Dr. Dossett.

Dr. Dossett hopes this case can be a wake-up call for Kentucky’s parents.

“I’ve to my knowledge, never seen a measles case in my career,” Dr. Dossett said. “The measles is a pretty miserable thing; that’s why it’s so important. That’s why we stress vaccines.”

The university released a statement Friday. It cited CDC recommendations, saying that any unvaccinated individuals who were there on the 18th should quarantine for 21 days.

Three measles cases have now been reported in the last three months in Kentucky.

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