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Measles Confirmed in Wasatch County, Linked to High School​ Students

Heber City, Utah – Wasatch‌ county health officials have confirmed five cases of measles among students at Wasatch High School, marking‍ the first reported​ instances of the disease in the⁢ county.

Health officials report that the students may have been infectious while attending school or school activities on november ⁣14, 17, and 18, as ⁣well as during a school play held on November ⁤15. Two additional potential cases are currently under evaluation.

“We did have ‌a wastewater test ⁣indicate the presence of measles in the community on November 6, and with cases existing in other⁣ parts of the state, we weren’t surprised to see⁤ cases ⁢here,” ⁢said Wasatch County Health Department ​Director ‌Jonelle Fitzgerald. “The cases we have confirmed⁢ at the high school are not‌ connected to each other, and as of that, we suspect that other ‍cases may start to pop up in the community.”

Measles is‍ a highly contagious viral infection that can spread through the air when an infected person​ coughs or‌ sneezes.‍ Symptoms typically include fever, cough, runny nose, and a rash that spreads over the body. The Centers for Disease⁤ Control ‍and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people receive the⁢ measles, mumps, and⁢ rubella (MMR) vaccine for protection.

Read the full story at FOX 13: https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/northern-utah/officials-confirm-5-cases-of-measles-all-wasatch-high-school-students. The ‍Salt⁣ Lake Tribune ⁣and FOX 13 are content-sharing partners.

First Confirmed Measles Case ⁤in ‌Salt lake County Linked to Unknown Source

Salt Lake‍ County, Utah – Salt Lake County health officials‍ have confirmed the county’s first case of measles during⁤ the current national outbreak. ‍The case‌ involves an unvaccinated adult,‍ and the source of their infection remains ‌undetermined, according to a Friday news release from the Salt Lake County Health Department.

Department spokesperson gabriel Moreno stated officials received ‌positive lab results confirming the infection on Wednesday afternoon. Subsequent examination,⁢ including interviews with the patient, ‍have not revealed how the ⁤individual contracted ⁤the virus.

“This case is especially concerning ​because the source of the patient’s infection is unknown,” said⁤ Dorothy Adams, Executive Director of the ‌Salt Lake County⁤ Health Department. “They ⁢have not knowingly ⁢had contact with anyone who had​ measles, which means their ⁢infection ⁣is the result of transmission somewhere out in the community.”

Public health officials have⁣ identified a potential exposure location: Intermountain Health’s Taylorsville InstaCare, located at 3845 W. 4700 South in Taylorsville. Anyone ⁣who was at the⁢ InstaCare facility last Friday,November 7th,between 3:00 PM and 7:15 ‌PM may⁤ have been exposed. Health officials report they have contacted most individuals known to have been present during that time.

Measles is highly contagious and can remain ‌airborne for up to two hours after an infected person has left a ‌location.⁢ The Health Department advises anyone who visited the Taylorsville instacare during the specified timeframe to ⁢verify their measles-mumps-rubella ‍(MMR) vaccination status.

Individuals who have received two doses‍ of the MMR vaccine are considered 97% protected against measles ⁢infection.

This confirmed case marks the 77th measles case reported in Utah this year, and the 13th within the last three weeks,⁢ according to state data. ⁤

Previously, in ‍late october, Salt Lake county investigated a potential case, but ⁢confirmation was ​impractical as ⁣the individual refused testing and ⁣participation in the investigation. this earlier, unconfirmed⁣ case is​ unrelated to the current⁤ confirmed infection.

Nationally, the centers for Disease Control and Prevention‍ (CDC) has reported 1,700 confirmed measles cases across 42 states. this outbreak coincides with a decline ‌in‍ MMR vaccination ⁤rates among kindergartners. While 95% vaccination coverage is needed to achieve “herd immunity,” national rates have fallen from ⁤95.2% in the 2019-20 school year to 92.7% in⁢ 2023-24.

Utah’s kindergarten vaccination rate ‌is lower, with the CDC estimating only‌ 88.8% were adequately vaccinated against measles during the 2023-24⁤ school year.