CDC issues measles advisory following Asbury revival last month

Visitors who attended the Asbury revival meetings in Kentucky last month may have been exposed to measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert to notify doctors and health officials that a person who contracted measles attended the spiritual awakening services.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health identified a confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated person who attended the gathering on February 17 or 18 at Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky. People from Kentucky, other states and other countries attended the event.

The person potentially exposed an estimated 20,000 people to the infectious virus, according to the CDC. The infected individual recently traveled internationally. According to Asbury University, the person did not begin developing symptoms until after attending the event at the private Christian institution. But the CDC says people infected with measles are contagious four days before measles’ telltale rash develops, and state health officials report that the person was contagious during their attendance.

The CDC estimates that 20,000 people attended the event during the time the infected person was there, although it is unclear just how many people may have been exposed. The exposure has the potential to result in an outbreak among people at the event who were unvaccinated or under-vaccinated, according to the CDC.

People who attended the event on February 17 or 18 and are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated against measles are advised to quarantine for 21 days after they potentially were exposed.

“Measles is extremely contagious and can cause life-threatening illness,” the CDC wrote in its advisory. “Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk. An unvaccinated person can get measles when travelimeaslesng abroad or in the United States.”

Data shows that over 90 percent of Americans are vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella. The CDC reports that in 2019, the last year for which figures are available, there were just 1,275 cases of measles reported in the United States and just 6 cases of “German Measles” (Rubella).

–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice