The measles outbreak in Utah has topped 700 cases. The disease has been spreading in Utah for a year, and in 2026 alone, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services reported 482 new cases.
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus. Common measles symptoms include:
Measles can cause brain damage, deafness, or death in newborns. However, measles often presents with more severe symptoms and higher risks of complications than in children, particularly for those over 20 or with weakened immune systems
As cases continue to grow, the United States is expected to lose its measles elimination status within the next year or two, according to a report by KFF Health News.
KFF Health News reported that only 87% of kindergartners were adequately immunized statewide, which is “far below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity.”
Utah currently allows vaccine exemptions for religious, medical, and personal reasons. “Our exemption rates even tend to be a little bit higher than the rest of the state, which has made us more vulnerable to an outbreak like this,” said David Heaton of the Southwest Utah Health Department.
Only 3.3% of Utah’s kindergarten vaccine exemptions are for medical reasons. Religious exemptions account for 12.6%, while personal exemptions make up 84.1%, according to a report by KUTV, a CBS News affiliate.
Last year, US measles cases exceeded 2,000 for the first time since 1992. Six months into 2026, the US has already surpassed that threshold.
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The Southwest Utah Health Department said state health officials are currently focusing on mitigation rather than prevention of the disease.
“I think the big thing is to realize that public health, we can educate, we can try to affect policy, we can provide services, but that only goes as far as personal choice and responsibility,” Heaton said.
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