TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported four new cases of measles over the past week in the state for a total of 87 cases in 11 counties.
On July 4, the KDHE reported a measles exposure that occurred at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita so individuals can take steps to protect their health and help prevent further spread. There is no risk of measles exposure outside of the specific unit, dates and times listed. Individuals who were not in the affected unit during that time, including those in other parts of the hospital or its departments, are not considered exposed.
- Location: Fifth-Floor Pediatric Unit, Building 4, Wesley Medical Center
- Address: 550 N Hillside St, Wichita, KS 67214
- Dates and times: Tuesday, July 1, 2025, from 10 p.m. until Thursday, July 3, 2025, 4:45 p.m.
According to the Associated Press, the U.S. is having its worst year for measles spread in more than three decades, with a total of 1,288 cases nationally and another six months to go in 2025.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the national case count surpassed 2019, when there were 1,274 cases for the year and the country almost lost its status of having eliminated the vaccine-preventable illness. That could happen this year if the virus has nonstop spread for 12 months.
This year’s outbreaks, some of them interconnected, started five months ago in undervaccinated communities in West Texas. Three people have died — two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico — and dozens of people have been hospitalized. Public health experts maintain the true case count may be higher than state health departments have confirmed…