Utah health officials encourage vaccination amid multi-state measles outbreak
SALT LAKE CITY () — Days after a , the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCoHD) is recommending Utahns take precautions to protect themselves from the serious disease before it reaches the Beehive State.
Health officials said measles is one of the most contagious viruses known. Those who are not immune to the disease have about a 90 percent chance of getting measles if they are near an infected person and it can spread before symptoms even appear.
According to SLCoHD, the best protection against measles is to get immunized with two doses of the measles-containing vaccine – more commonly known as the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
As of Feb. 28, there are no reported cases of measles in the Beehive State. However, multiple states have that are mainly impacting those aged 19 and under. More than 90 percent of those infected in the current outbreak are , according to the CDC.
'For decades the MMR vaccine has been proven safe and effective,' said SLCoHD Executive Director Dorothy Adams. 'Ensuring now that you and your loved ones are adequately protected will help prevent serious illness in our community if this current multistate measles outbreak spreads to Utah.'
According to data from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, measles has been a rarity in Utah over the last 10 years. Since 2015, the Beehive State has only had five reported cases, the most being reported in 2017.
While it's not clear how many adults in Salt Lake City are protected against measles, Utah health officials said 92.3 percent of kindergartners in Salt Lake County are up to date on their vaccinations.
'A high level of community immunity is essential to protect infants too young to be vaccinated, as well as people who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons,' continued Adams. 'Vaccination is not just about you, but also about protecting the people around you.'
Measles symptoms usually start one to two weeks after infection. Symptoms will usually start with a fever, cough, runny nose and red or watery eyes. Two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots will typically begin to appear inside the mouth.
A rash will appear three to five days after the first symptoms that start as flat, red spots at the hairline before spreading down the rest of the body, according to SLCoHD.
Many people who are infected with measles will have mild symptoms, but SLCoHD said about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles will need to be hospitalized. Children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have serious problems related to measles.
The CDC said before the vaccine, an estimated 48,000 people were hospitalized due to measles each year. Each year, an estimated 400 to 500 people die from the disease.
If you think you have measles or learn you've been around someone with measles, SLCoHD recommends contacting your healthcare provider immediately.
Utah health officials said most children receive their two doses of the measles vaccine at a young age. The first dose is given between 12 and 15 months and the second is provided between ages 4 and 6.
Anyone born after 1968 is considered to be fully protected against measles, according to SLCoHD, but adults born before 1967 should consider getting a second dose. SLCoHD said this is because the vaccine used between 1963 and 1967 was less effective than the current vaccine that began use in 1968.
Adults who were born before 1957 generally don't need to be vaccinated because they are likely immune after a widespread infection and illness before the vaccine was first made available in 1963.
To find out if you or your child need a dose of measles vaccine, talk to your health care provider or check your immunization record.
Most Utahns' immunization records are available via the secure . The MMR vaccine is widely available at local pharmacies, doctor's offices or ; call 385-468-SHOT to schedule a vaccination appointment at a health department clinic.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Marineland remains closed in Niagara Falls, Ont., says it hasn't decided if it will open this year
With the busy summer tourist season in Niagara Falls, Ont., weeks away, Marineland says it still hasn't decided if it will open this year. The beleaguered aquarium told CBC Hamilton in an email Tuesday "no final decision has been made." "As Marineland has repeatedly publicly stated, we continue to be actively engaged in a sale process and transition to new ownership," said the statement from the marketing department. "The long-term health and welfare of the animals remains Marineland's priority in the transition process." As of Tuesday, its main phone number wasn't working, its Facebook page was taken down and its website made no mention of its reopening date. This time last year, its reopening date of June 28 was already posted to its website, according to internet park has traditionally closed for the fall and winter, and reopened in the spring, but in recent years scaled back operations, said Janet Adams, an employment co-ordinator at the Niagara Employment Help Centre. At its height, Marineland would hire 500 to 700 seasonal employees, she said. But last year it hired only a few janitors and cashiers, and called back employees from the year before, Adams said. This year, they haven't posted any summer positions at all, impacting students looking for work, she said. 18 beluga whale deaths since 2019 Ontario's Animal Welfare Services has been investigating Marineland for five years, visiting the park more than 200 times since 2020. Eighteen beluga whales, one killer whale and one dolphin have died at Marineland since late 2019 — including one beluga earlier this year. The province declared in 2021 that all marine mammals at the park were in distress due to poor water, but told The Canadian Press last year the water issue had been brought up to standard. In 2024, Marineland was found guilty under Ontario's animal cruelty laws over its care of three young black bears. The bears lived in an enclosure that measured 48 square feet and their outside area was 360 square feet, and lacked water and climbing structures, a provincial court heard. However, the bears needed to be in an enclosure at least 10,000 square feet, animal welfare inspectors determined. Lobbyist working on animal export permits Last month, Marineland sold one of its properties that included an office building to a numbered corporation for over $2.7 million, according to land records. It's down the road from the sprawling main park. Earlier this year, it got permission from the City of Niagara Falls to sever the large park into four parcels to take out mortgages. Tom Richardson, a lawyer who represents Marineland, said at a public meeting in February that it needs the money to continue funding park operations and eventually move its animals, including more than two dozen beluga whales, as well as bears and deer. "It's to address the elephant in the room, and that is the moving of the whales and other creatures," he said. After the animals are moved, the park will merge the parcels back together, rather than sell them off individually, said Richardson. In March, a consultant for Marineland, Andrew Burns, registered as a lobbyist to "communicate with government officials" about obtaining permits to trade endangered species internationally and export cetaceans, a classification of aquatic mammals that includes whales and dolphins. Burns didn't respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
A bat in Morgan County has tested positive for rabies, health officials warn
MORGAN, Utah () — The Weber-Morgan Health Department is reminding residents to ensure their pets' vaccinations are up to date and avoid touching bats or other wild animals after a bat tested positive for rabies. This marks the first report of a rabies-positive bat in Utah for 2025. Health officials warn that as the weather warms up, the chances of coming into contact with rabies increase. 'Bats play an important role in our ecosystem and the majority of the bats in our population are healthy and tend to keep to themselves,' explained Amy Carter, a communicable disease nurse with the Weber-Morgan Health Department. 'However, if you see one in the daylight, or if it's in a place where you or your pet can pick it up, there's a good chance it is ill.' VIDEO: Man hangs Israeli and American flag on mosque in Salt Lake City Rabies is to both pets and humans if left untreated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It primarily spreads to humans and pets through bites and scratches from an infected animal. Common carriers include bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes and unvaccinated cats and dogs. Every year, roughly 60,000 Americans receive medical treatment following a potential rabies exposure, but control measures in the United States have helped reduce the virus as a public health threat. 'The good news is that rabies is preventable,' Carter said. Heber Valley Temple lawsuit: Judge hears arguments on temple construction Some recommendations to protect you and your pets include keeping your pet's vaccinations up-to-date, as required by Utah law, and staying away from wild animals. If a wild animal appears sick, injured or is acting strangely, the Weber-Morgan Health Department recommends calling animal control for assistance. 'Vaccination is important because it is how we prevent rabies in our cats and dogs. It saves time and heartache if your pet is involved in a biting incident or comes in contact with a rabid bat or other animal,' said Carter. If you are bitten or scratched by a bat or any other wild animal, the Weber-Morgan Health Department said you should immediately wash the wound with soap and water and visit your doctor. If possible, safely contain the bat or animal and contact the so it can be tested for rabies. The Weber-Morgan Health Department also recommends reporting any interactions with a bat found in a sleeping area. More information about bats, animals and rabies can be found through the or the . Suspect hides in trap door during SWAT raid in Murray Trump tax bill would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over a decade: CBO Judge tosses Democrats' challenge to Trump order's effect on FEC A bat in Morgan County has tested positive for rabies, health officials warn Historic Hill Air Force Base chapel reopens following years of extensive renovations Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The U.S. hasn't seen a new confirmed human bird flu case in nearly 4 months — why?
Soaring egg prices and concerns about bird flu spreading from wild birds and cattle to humans were top of mind for many Americans at the beginning of 2025. The topic recently made its way back into headlines when Moderna announced that the Trump administration was canceling a $766 million contract to develop a bird flu vaccine for humans. Over the past 15 months, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 70 human cases of bird flu across 13 states. The last known cases were reported nearly four months ago, in February, in Nevada, Ohio and Wyoming. California was a hot spot for human bird flu cases, with 38 infections confirmed by January this year. No cases have been reported in the state since. The Associated Press has reported, citing state records, that testing efforts have 'fallen off.' During 2024 at least 50 people were tested per month, compared with three people tested in March, one in April and none in May. 'In recent weeks, the overall number of new animal H5N1 virus infections reported by [the U.S. Department of Agriculture] has declined, reducing the number of people exposed to infected animals, and human cases have declined as well,' a CDC spokesperson told Yahoo News in an email. While there's the possibility that the H5N1 virus is waning in the U.S. for the time being, experts are worried that the efforts to monitor bird flu infections is the factor that's actually waning. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, is worried because while these latest cases have been relatively mild, the virus has been 'quite deadly,' historically speaking. 'Of the known human cases that have been identified, about half of them have died, Nuzzo told Yahoo News, 'and that is a truly staggering percentage.' Yahoo News spoke to Nuzzo and Dr. Robert Hopkins, medical director at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, in an effort to gain some insight as to why those CDC case numbers haven't budged in humans. 'The short answer is, we don't know,' Nuzzo said. But experts like her have offered some possibilities: 1. Migratory bird patterns have changed: Wild birds are primary spreaders of avian flu. The United States could be experiencing a natural and temporary decline in human cases, which tend to peak in the fall and early winter, possibly because migration patterns have seasonally changed as well, a CDC official noted during a May call with U.S. doctors. 'As we expect to see bird migration patterns rev back up here in the next few months, I suspect we're going to see increased levels of H5N1 in migratory birds,' Hopkins said. 'That's probably going to result in more poultry flocks and more other animals infected. I think that again raises our risk.' 2. It's possible that less of the virus is circulating: Humans can become infected with bird flu through exposure to sick wild birds, poultry, backyard flocks or cattle. Avian flu infections are still being detected in birds and cattle but not as frequently as they were several months ago. 'Since February 2025, there have been fewer affected dairy herds and commercial poultry flocks in the United States, and we believe, fewer workers are being exposed to sick animals,' a CDC spokesperson told Yahoo News in an email. 3. Testing at the state and local levels for H5N1 has decreased: Nuzzo suggested that perhaps there has been an overall reduction in human testing for H5N1, rather than a decrease in viral spread. 'One of the concerns that I have is that states have appeared to be conducting just less general testing for H5N1,' Nuzzo said. 'Those things coupled with a general lack of any communication from federal agencies about H5N1 leaves us very concerned that what we might be seeing is just a contraction of surveillance and not necessarily an abatement of the virus.' A CDC spokesperson told Yahoo News that the agency's 'guidance and surveillance efforts for human cases of H5N1 virus infections have not changed. State and local health departments continue to monitor for illness in persons exposed to sick animals. However, no new human cases of H5N1 virus infections have been identified and reported to CDC in recent months.' 4. Less prevalence in wastewater surveillance: People who contract bird flu can shed pieces of the virus through wastewater, like from handwashing, bathing or laundering clothes. But as the CDC website notes, 'Wastewater data cannot determine the source of influenza A viruses.' Nuzzo agrees that wastewater surveillance alone isn't the best method in determining whether human bird flu infections are waning but 'probably the best thing we have in terms of figuring out how much virologic activity is occurring.' Hopkins says the presence of H5N1 showing up in wastewater surveillance has slowed. 'So less virus means less transmission,' Hopkins said. 'They are positive factors for right now, and they don't mean that we won't have greater problems going forward,' he cautioned. For the week ending May 24, out of 340 sites nationwide as part of the CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System, there were 17 sites, in New Jersey and Oregon, that reported any detection of H5N1, according to the CDC. 5. The current virus strain isn't good at infecting humans: The CDC has confirmed instances of bird flu that have passed from birds to animals, from birds to humans and from animals to humans. What about human to human? 'It appears that this H5 virus has not developed the mutations necessary to easily transmit to humans and to easily transmit from person to person because we don't have any confirmed person-to-person spread either,' Hopkins said. 'That's my deep fear,' Nuzzo said. 'I do know there have been concerns about attention on [bird flu] from the agricultural sector, in part due to USDA cuts and letting go of the staff who worked on H5N1.' With the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce, more than 15,000 USDA employees have taken one of two financial incentives to leave the agency. Three of 14 experts responding to disease outbreaks at the National Animal Health Laboratory Network are among the staff that have accepted the offers. Nuzzo said even before the cuts, experts like herself were concerned that states weren't being aggressive enough in responding to H5N1 either because they didn't think it was a problem or because it was on the back burner. 'In 2024, federal agencies regularly held briefings on the topic with both outside experts like myself, but also state and local health officials,' Nuzzo said. 'I think absent that, it's just hard to know what is going on, and it's hard to not assume that things aren't going on. It also makes it hard to say, one way or another, how much of an issue [bird flu] is.' The CDC says the current risk to the general public is low, although it is higher for people who work with cattle and poultry or who are in contact with wild birds. Right at this moment, Nuzzo said, the general public shouldn't be worried about bird flu. 'The people that I'm worried about are people who are being exposed to infected animals,' Nuzzo said, 'and that's largely people in the agricultural sector, the farm workers who have disincentives for coming forward if they become infected.' Immigration labor accounts for 51% of all dairy labor, according to the National Milk Producers Federation. Experts are concerned that undocumented workers are avoiding bird flu testing out of fear of coming forward and being deported under President Trump's immigration crackdown. 'The fear among undocumented workers — especially in the current climate — is real and can significantly impact public health efforts,' Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern, told the Telegraph. 'If people don't feel safe coming forward for testing or care, we risk missing early signs of spread, especially in high-risk populations like dairy farm workers,' she added. A CDC spokesperson told Yahoo News: 'Farmworkers are typically a hard population to reach, and CDC continues to do outreach through trusted partners.' 'I do think it's important for people to realize that even before COVID, pandemics happened regularly,' Nuzzo said, adding that there were three influenza pandemics in the 20th century: 1918, 1957 and 1968. There was also an influenza pandemic in 2009. 'The fact that most people don't even remember that we had a pandemic in 2009 is because of investments that were made by [then-President] George Bush in 2004, 2005,' Nuzzo said, referring to investments in vaccine development, virus surveillance and people on the ground to respond to a pandemic. Nuzzo said she isn't certain if H5N1 will trigger the next flu pandemic. However, she is certain there will be another pandemic, and it will likely be an influenza pandemic. 'The good news is that we can make flu vaccines; we do have tools to address it, but they're only going to be helpful if we have them when we need them,' Nuzzo said. When asked about the Trump administration's decision to cancel the Moderna bird flu vaccine contract, she said: 'Shutting down the investments today is a very short-sighted move that we very likely will regret in the future.'
