Utah public health officials report new potential measles exposure

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah public health officials said residents in southwestern portions of the state may have been exposed to measles, and are monitoring accordingly. According to a release from the Utah Department of Health & Human Services, an out-of-state visitor who was unvaccinated and infectious with measles traveled to southwestern Utah on May 26 and 27. The department was notified on June 2. The traveler, who was visiting family, was reportedly "out in the community and may have exposed others." The department had knowledge that some of the people they came in contact with were not vaccinated against the highly contagious virus. "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 in a release. No specific city was referenced, but health officials said they were working to identify those affected and provide resources.

Measles symptoms

The department said common symptoms include a high fever, white spots that appear on the inner lining of the cheek, cough, runny nose, sore throat and red or watery eyes. These symptoms typically appear "10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus." Approximately three to five days after initial symptoms, a rash with "small red spots" may appear. "We encourage anyone who has measles-like symptoms to stay home and away from others for at least 4 days after the rash appears to limit the risk to others in their community," the department said. Those who have symptoms were also advised to call medical providers before arriving for treatment to protect other patients from potential exposure.

Related: Utah’s quiet measles case: what happened and why officials stayed silent

The Department of Health and Human Services has a measles response page that will be updated as cases occur.

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