Growing Measles Outbreaks in Kansas: 80 Confirmed Cases and Growing Concerns

The state of Kansas is currently experiencing a significant rise in measles cases, with the total now reaching 80 confirmed infections, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s reports as of June 25, 2025. Most of these cases—77 out of 80—are linked to an ongoing outbreak predominantly affecting the southwestern regions of the state. These cases are distributed across nine counties including Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kiowa, Morton, Pawnee, and Stevens, with additional cases reported in Reno and Sedgwick counties that are not part of the outbreak cluster.

In terms of demographics, children and teenagers constitute the majority of patients affected, with 32 children aged 4 years and younger, 21 children aged 5 to 10, 8 adolescents between 11 and 13, and 6 teenagers aged 14 to 17 years. There are also 13 cases among adults. Notably, only 5 patients had been properly vaccinated against measles, whereas 68 cases involved unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated individuals. Grant County bears the brunt of the outbreak, reporting 26 cases, followed by Haskell with 17, and Pawnee and Stevens counties with 7 each.

The outbreak has resulted in three hospitalizations, but fortunately, no deaths have been reported so far. The symptoms of measles typically include high fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and white spots inside the mouth, followed by a characteristic rash that spreads across the body. Pediatric experts strongly recommend early vaccination, especially for young children, to prevent further spread.

According to Dr. Stephen Lauer from The University of Kansas Health System, increased vaccination efforts are vital, and special clinics are being offered to provide the MMR vaccine to children as young as 6 months. He emphasizes that the measles vaccine remains highly effective and encourages parents to consult their pediatricians to update or initiate vaccination schedules if needed.

On a broader scale, the United States has seen a rising number of measles cases nationwide. As of mid-June 2025, there have been over 1,200 confirmed cases across 34 states, with 89% linked to active outbreaks. The majority of cases involve unvaccinated individuals, highlighting the importance of vaccination in preventing outbreaks. Hospitalizations have occurred in 146 cases, and there have been three fatalities reported.

Public health officials continue to monitor and respond to these outbreaks and stress the importance of immunization for all eligible populations to prevent further spread and protect vulnerable groups, especially children.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-measles-cases-kansas.html