Suspected measles case reported at Laurel Elementary

(LAUREL, Ind.) – Health officials are warning the public after a recent increase in measles cases in Southeast Indiana. 

A potential case involving one student at Laurel Elementary School was announced on Thursday. 

School officials are implementing precautions including increased cleaning and disinfecting throughout the building.  

Laurel Elementary teachers are also contacting families of students who may have been exposed or are not vaccinated. 

“This outreach is being done out of an abundance of caution and should not be interpreted as confirmation that an exposure or case has occurred. As we receive additional information, we will provide more specific guidance as appropriate,” Franklin County Schools Superintendent Dustin Gehring said.

Gehring added, "We will continue to monitor the situation closely. If we learn that additional precautions or actions become necessary, we will communicate that information as quickly as possible."

Confirmed Cases in Southeast Indiana 

The suspected case at Laurel Elementary is not confirmed, however, there have been some confirmed cases in the region. 

Switzerland County has had 6 confirmed cases, Wayne County has had 6 confirmed cases and there has also one confirmed case in Ohio County.  

There have been a total of 24 confirmed measles cases in Indiana in 2026, according to the Indiana Department of Health.

What to Know

Measles is an airborne disease that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breaths, coughs, sneezes or talks. The virus can stay alive in the air for up to two hours. 

Early symptoms of measles include runny rose, cough, tiredness, loss of appetite, fever, spots inside the mouth that look like grains of salt, and pink eye. 

“If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected,” the Indiana Department of Health stated. 

In some cases, measles may cause serious illness such as pneumonia, brain swelling (encephalitis) and can even be fatal in young children.

Health officials urge that the most effective way to protect against measles is with the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine. 

In August, the Ripley County Health Department provided additional information on measles. You can read that story by clicking here.