Home / Health / Utah measles alert: 2,000 students exposed
Utah measles alert: 2,000 students exposed
19 Feb
Summary
- Infected student attended Utah high school for a week while infectious.
- 2,000 students potentially exposed to highly contagious measles virus.
- Measles outbreak in Utah shows high rate of unvaccinated cases.
An infected student attended classes at Highland High School in Utah for a week while contagious, potentially exposing 2,000 students to measles. Health officials have notified the school community about the exposure risk. The incident occurs amidst a wider measles outbreak in Utah, with 300 cases reported since fall 2025. The majority of these cases were in unvaccinated individuals, underscoring concerns about vaccination rates in the state.
The Salt Lake County Health Department emphasized the high transmissibility of measles and urged vigilance for early symptoms, which can resemble a cold or flu. Measles is characterized by fever, cough, and a distinctive rash. Officials noted that unvaccinated individuals have a 90 percent chance of infection if exposed.
Utah's kindergarten vaccination rate for the MMR vaccine is below the threshold for herd immunity. This situation prompts a reminder of measles' severe potential complications, including pneumonia and brain swelling, and the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine in prevention.
