TOPEKA (KSNT) – State officials report that Kansas health providers should be on the lookout for symptoms of measles as a second case is confirmed for 2026.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a health alert on Wednesday, Sept. 16, for measles as nationwide cases near 3,300. State health officials, as of Sept. 14, have recorded a second case of measles in Kansas for 2026. This comes after a previous case was confirmed in the spring.
KDHE staff said both cases of measles in Kansas were acquired after the individuals traveled within the U.S., but outside the Sunflower State. While health officials do not share which county the new case of measles was confirmed in, they do specify that it is in the northeastern part of Kansas.
(Photo Courtesy/Kansas Department of Health and Environment)
Health officials previously sounded the alarm about measles in Shawnee and Osage counties in May. Osage County health officials said they were investigating a measles case in a local resident while Shawnee County health officials announced a possible measles exposure event at a local church.
Officials with the KDHE are now encouraging healthcare providers to be on the lookout for suspected measles cases and to immediately isolate and report patients. Officials are also encouraging administration of the measles vaccine treatment which can be 97% effective against combating measles.
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Measles is an extremely contagious viral illness that can cause serious health problems like pneumonia, encephalitis and death, especially in people who are not vaccinated, according to the KDHE. People infected with measles may show symptoms like a fever, cough, rash, coryza, malaise and conjunctivitis. Vaccinated individuals infected with measles often show similar symptoms, but not as severely as those who are not vaccinated.
The KDHE previously posted warnings in 2025 for measles due to a growing number of cases nationwide and an outbreak in southwest Kansas. The 2025 outbreak ended with nearly 90 confirmed cases of measles that led to eight hospitalizations.
You can learn more about measles and vaccination methods by heading to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website.
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