Measles Infection Confirmed in Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Health Department announced on Friday that they have confirmed a measles infection in an adult resident. This marks the first lab-confirmed case in the county during a nationwide outbreak.

The individual is unvaccinated, according to health officials.

“This situation is particularly alarming because we do not know where the infection originated,” stated Dorothy Adams, the executive director of the department. “The patient has not knowingly interacted with anyone who has measles, suggesting the infection likely came from somewhere in the community.”

Epidemiologists are swiftly working to inform anyone who might have come into contact with the infected person. All personal contacts of the individual have already been alerted.

Furthermore, health officials have identified that the patient visited a public location while contagious. Anyone who was present at the following site during the specified date and time could have been exposed:

• Taylorsville InstaCare, 3845 W. 4700 South, on Friday, Nov. 7, from 3 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Back in October, Salt Lake County health officials noted a probable case of measles but could not confirm it due to the patient’s refusal to cooperate with their investigation.

“The patient declined both testing and to fully engage with our investigation, which prevents us from confirming the illness or conducting effective contact tracing,” Adams commented at that time.

Measles is highly contagious and can infect up to nine out of ten unvaccinated individuals in proximity to an infected person, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. County officials emphasize that receiving two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is the most effective way to prevent infection and mitigate symptoms.

The disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000; however, there has been a resurgence this year, leading to the highest number of cases since then. Utah has seen 77 confirmed cases in 2023, predominantly in the southwestern region of the state, according to the Measles Dashboard.

Typically, measles symptoms emerge seven to 14 days after exposure, including fever, cough, runny nose, and red or watery eyes. Additionally, patients may develop small white spots in their mouths two to three days after initial symptoms and a rash within three to five days.

About 20% of unvaccinated individuals who contract measles require hospitalization, with young children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems being at greater risk.

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed to measles is advised to reach out to their healthcare provider immediately.