Health officials warn of potential measles exposure in southwestern Utah
For years, Utah's early childhood vaccination rates have been declining. (Photo: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / Tatiana Lanzieri, MD, MPH)
After an unvaccinated out-of-state visitor traveled to southwestern Utah while infected with measles, state health officials are watching for any potential of the highly contagious virus spreading in Utah.
The patient came to the state to visit family on May 26 and 27, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release issued Wednesday. During the visit, the individual visited other unvaccinated people, was out in the community and may have infected others.
'While the risk to the general population continues to be low, we want to make the public aware of the increased risk of measles in this region and the increasing number of cases in surrounding states,' the department said.
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The potential exposure comes amid measles outbreaks in states across the U.S.
This year the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 1,088 measles cases nationwide in 33 states. About 96% of them were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. There were 11 cases in Colorado and 81 in New Mexico, according to an NBC News tracker. As of Wednesday, there aren't any confirmed cases in Utah.
Measles outbreak hasn't hit Utah yet, but health officials are bracing for when it does
About 88.8% of Utah kindergarteners were reported to be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella in the 2023-2024 school year, lagging behind the national average of 92.7%.
While there was a small bump in the state's immunization registry for a couple of weeks, there's still been a drop in the percentage of Utah children that received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine at 24 months old — from 94.5% of those born in 2019 to 89.8% of children born in 2021, according to state data.
That's on pace with regional MMR vaccination rate trends, including in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, Rich Lakin, immunization program manager at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, told Utah News Dispatch last week. The percentage in those states have decreased from 98.3% for children born in 2019 to 86.4% for those born in 2021.
The country has seen a pattern of declining immunization rates as skepticism around science and public health was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the death of two children in Texas, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who has expressed skepticism regarding vaccine safety and efficacy — endorsed the MMR vaccine, saying it is the most effective way to prevent the spread of the disease. However, he has also promoted unproven remedies for preventing and treating measles, sowing confusion.
Experts and research widely accept that the vaccine is safe and saves lives.
While it has been difficult to encourage people to vaccinate their children, Lankin said health officials will continue to try to ensure Utahns get accurate information.
'That's what our continued message is — that vaccinations have been one of the greatest public health achievements we have seen, and we want to continue to keep people safe through vaccinations,' Lakin said last week.
The state still has limited details on who was exposed, but it is working on providing information and protection to those it can identify, according to the Wednesday release.
In the meantime, the department advised anyone with measles-like symptoms to remain at home and away from others for at least four days after the start of the rash to avoid further spread.
Those with symptoms — which include high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, in addition to the characteristic rash — should contact medical facilities before visiting to confirm whether they can protect other patients from infections.
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