Kentucky’s measles case count reached 157 by Wednesday, Oct. 14, with more than a third of the cases in a fast-growing outbreak in Laurel County, state figures show. Laurel County, in southeastern Kentucky, had 56 cases, up from seven just days earlier. State health officials say the outbreak involves unvaccinated people in several large households that have been isolated from the broader community. Vaccination records show one person in the outbreak had received the full measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and another had received one dose. The remaining cases were among people who had not been vaccinated, according to the state dashboard. Across Kentucky, nine people with measles have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. The state’s 2026 total is a sharp increase from 13 cases in 2025 and no reported cases in 2024. Kentucky health officials have described the current tally as the state’s highest in decades and have urged residents to get vaccinated. “We do not need to have measles,” Gov. Andy Beshear said last month, pointing to vaccination as a proven way to prevent the disease. He said inaccurate information about vaccines was contributing to its return and urged people to seek reliable guidance rather than feel vilified. Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and a rash. Infants, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of severe illness. The MMR vaccine is the main protection against measles.