Health officials in Utah have issued a chilling update, confessing why they’ve been unable to confirm the first measles case in Salt Lake City after a previous outbreak in the state.
As of Thursday (30 October), there have been over 150 reported cases of measles, mostly in northwest Mohave County, Arizona, and the southwest health district of Utah.
Ars Technia reported that while the outbreak has exploded across the Utah-Arizona border, cases are also being reported in areas towards Salt Lake City.
The Utah County Health Department (UCHID) confirmed a new case of the measles yesterday (October 31), urging residents to ensure they and their family members are up to date on the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
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80.7 per cent of kindergarteners in the southwest district of Utah were vaccinated in the 2024/2025 school year, as per public health records. The Arizona Department of Health Services, meanwhile, confirmed only 78.4 per cent of kindergartners in the 2024/2025 school year were vaccinated.
Public health officials stated that vaccination coverage of 95 per cent is necessary to keep the disease from spreading throughout the community.
In the wake of these outbreaks, county health officials have issued an update, claiming that someone possibly infected with measles in the Salt Lake City area of Utah is not cooperating with the investigation.
Experts said the person, whom they were informed about via a health provider, refused to answer any questions or disclose location-based information.
Dorothy Adams, executive director of Salt Lake County Health Department, said that the patient also declined to be tested, meaning officials wouldn’t be able to ‘confirm the illness or properly do contact tracing to warn anyone with whom the patient may have had contact’.
“But based on the specific symptoms reported by the healthcare provider and the limited conversation our investigators have had with the patient, this is very likely a case of measles in someone living in Salt Lake County.” she continued.
Despite being unable to provide any solid information, Nicholas Rupp, a spokesperson for the Utah Health Department, stated that people who may have been exposed to the infection at the healthcare provider’s office have been notified.
Another American state is on red alert after eight new cases of measles were confirmed. The patients are located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, bringing the total number of cases in the state this year to 33.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) stated that all new cases were linked to close contacts of known cases who had been quarantining at home.
However, it is unclear if these patients were vaccinated.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Anyone suffering from this highly contagious infection is likely to exhibit symptoms within seven to 14 days.
The first signs of measles include cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough, and runny nose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Two to three days after symptoms begin, you’ll likely experience tiny white spots in the mouth.
On days three to five, expect to see the first instances of measles spots, as well as fever spikes, the agency warned.
You can easily prevent measles by getting the MMR vaccine.
Ella Scott