The latest state to join the measles outbreak, which has been ongoing for quite some time now in the United States, is Kentucky. It has declared the outbreak, and has been confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday. So far, there has been a total of 1,267 confirmed cases of measles this year, nationwide.For now, five active measles cases have been detected in Kentucky, and four of these are linked to the same outbreak."When there are measles outbreaks in other states and nearby countries, it is not surprising to see spread to Kentucky," Steven Stack, M.D., secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said in a statement. "Measles can be very serious, but it is avoidable through vaccination. We urge all parents to have their children vaccinated to ensure they are protected from preventable diseases like measles."How Many Outbreaks And How Many Cases?The CDC defines an outbreak as at least three related cases, and so far in 2025, 27 such outbreaks have been reported. Of them, 88% of the confirmed cases, which means 1,115 cases out of 1,267, are linked with the ongoing outbreak. In 2024, a total of 285 measles cases were reported by 33 jurisdictions, resulting in 16 outbreaks.Since the late winter of 2024 till spring of 2025, Texas witnessed the country's largest outbreak, and three additional cases were reported this week. The case count in Texas now totals 753 since late January.Last week, the New Mexico Department of Health reported five measles cases at the Luna County Detention Center in Deming. Officials are currently determining the vaccination status of people being held at the facility."The cases at Luna County Detention Center are a stark reminder that the measles outbreak in New Mexico is not over," Chad Smelser, M.D., a medical epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health, said in a statement. "We urge everyone in New Mexico, especially Luna County residents, to ensure that they are fully vaccinated against measles."So far, from the measles cases in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, three deaths have been reported. Among them, two were elementary school-aged children from the West Texas epicenter, and one was an adult in New Mexico. All of them were unvaccinated.What Vaccine Must One Take To Prevent Measles?The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine as the "best way to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella". For children, it recommends two doses of MMRV.The MMR vaccine is a combination of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, while the MMRV is a combination of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) vaccines.In the US, two MMR vaccines are available for use, including M-M-R II, and PRIORIX. For MMRV, the vaccine is only licensed for children who are 12 months through 12 years of age. The first dose is usually administered between the ages of 12 to 15 months, while the second dose is administered between the ages of 4 to 6.For older children, adolescents and adults, the two doses of MMR vaccines should be separated by at least 28 days.What Is Measles?CDC notes that it is a highly contagious virus, which means if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will also become infected. As per the Mayo Clinic, measles is caused by the measles virus, which can spread through an infected person's cough, sneeze, or even during conversations.Signs And SymptomsMeasles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus. Common measles symptoms include:High fever (may spike to more than 104° F)CoughRunny nose (coryza)Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)Rash