By: Morgan Chilson
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Kansas joined a growing list of states nationwide reporting measles cases with two cases apparently related to travel outside the state, a health agency said.
The Kansas Department for Health and Environment reported two measles cases on its Infectious Disease Dashboard, which is updated on Wednesdays.
These are the first measles cases reported in Kansas since an outbreak of 91 cases in 2025.
“Both cases are domestic travel-associated, meaning the individuals were exposed to measles while traveling within the United States, outside of Kansas,” KDHE said on its website.
Measles activity is elevated in the United States and globally, KDHE said. As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 3,471 confirmed measles cases in the United States, occurring in 46 states and the District of Columbia.
Measles outbreaks, which means more than three measles cases related to each other, account for 95% of the cases being reported, the CDC said.
The percentage of caregivers claiming an exemption from vaccinations for kindergarteners continued to rise in Kansas, according to KDHE data. In the most recent data from the 2025-26 academic school year, the total exemption rate was 4.46%, with .33% attributable to medical exemptions and the remainder to religious exemptions.
In the 2019-20 academic year, total exemptions from vaccinations was 2.12%, with .26% from medical exemptions, KDHE data said.
Seven counties in Kansas report fewer than 75% of students received the measles vaccination, which is part of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination.
Jewell county in north-central Kansas reported the lowest measles vaccination rate for kindergarteners at 64.56%. In the 2022-23 school year, the county reported 99.12% of kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles.