LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — The state of New York has declared a state of emergency. In Pennsylvania, the number of measles cases has now topped 1,000. However in Kentucky, the number of cases still remains below 100.
In 99% of those cases, health officials say the virus is spreading among those who haven't been vaccinated.
"We have eradicated some diseases through vaccination. Polio is not something we worry about now. Measles was kind of on that list," Melissa Phillips said, before noting that measles could ultimately lose that status.
Phillips is with the Lincoln Trail District Health Department in Washington County, where her staff is monitoring five confirmed cases in a
6-counties area they cover.
"In Kentucky, we are at the highest level of measles cases since 1991. So, yes, there is definitely a level of concern," Phillips said of the state's 94 cases.
Phillips says we're not in a panic mode yet in Kentucky, but it doesn't take long for a virus like the measles to get us there.
"It is highly contagious," she stressed. "If you have somebody who is in school, or is on a sports team, and they go to church, and the grocery store, those are all potential contacts for this very contagious virus," Phillips said.
Common symptoms include flu-like conditions at the beginning, and, of course, most people are aware of the rash that accompanies the virus. But Phillips warns of being complacent about any of those signs.
"What people don't realize is that measles can be deadly. It's not just a little rash. It's something to take very seriously. You can die from a case of measles," she said in no uncertain terms.
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