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Known measles cases up to five in Fayette County

FILE - This May 15, 2019 file photo shows a vial of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at a clinic in Vashon Island, Wash. The World Health Organization says there has been a “dramatic resurgence” of measles in Europe, with nearly 90,000 people sickened by the virus in the first half of 2019. In a new report issued Thursday, Aug. 29 the U.N. health agency said the number of measles cases from January to June this year is double the number reported for the same period in 2018. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, file)
Elaine Thompson/AP
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AP
FILE - This May 15, 2019 file photo shows a vial of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at a clinic in Vashon Island, Wash. The World Health Organization says there has been a “dramatic resurgence” of measles in Europe, with nearly 90,000 people sickened by the virus in the first half of 2019. In a new report issued Thursday, Aug. 29 the U.N. health agency said the number of measles cases from January to June this year is double the number reported for the same period in 2018. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, file)

Fayette County health officials have identified an additional case of measles, putting the total at nine cases connected to the recent outbreak in Woodford County.

Of the nine cases, five are in Fayette County and all are household contacts of the first Fayette County case.

The individuals have been under quarantine since the initial case was identified, and officials say there remains no additional risk to the public.

The health department is continuing to stress the importance of vaccination. Dr. Nicholas Van Sickels with UK HealthCare says the main focus is on protecting children.

It tends to be the the younger children, babies, and even adolescents who tend to get more sick with it. And they can get pneumonia. They can get bad ear infections. You can even get a bad brain infection. Those are the things we worry about," he told WUKY. "Most people, however, will get a really bad fever, runny nose, cough, some spots and sores in their mouth, and then the rash. And that's usually how we recognize it as the rash."

The health department says adults born after 1957 should have documented at least one dose of the modern MMR vaccine, and children should have two doses.