SALT LAKE CITY — More than 60 Utah residents have now been diagnosed with measles, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
A total of 64 measles cases were reported in the health department’s dashboard, which was updated Friday afternoon. across the state.
Health authorities said there were seven new confirmed cases over the past three weeks.
On Friday, the Utah County Health Department announced that a new case had been confirmed in the area.
measles It is one of the most contagious diseases that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and a characteristic rash that spreads throughout the body. Unvaccinated people are at greatest risk.
Utah public health officials say they are taking necessary steps to prevent further spread.
“We appreciate the cooperation of community members who responded to our calls, worked closely with disease investigators, got tested when recommended, and followed quarantine guidelines,” Utah County Health Department Executive Director Eric Edwards said in a statement. “These efforts are critical to protecting others and preventing additional cases.”
The most recent cases bring the total number of Utah County health districts to eight, according to data on the Utah Department of Health and Human Services website. The Southwestern Utah Health District has the highest number of measles cases in the state, with 49.
The Salt Lake County Health Department reported its first “probable” case of measles on Wednesday, but officials were unable to confirm the diagnosis because the patient declined to participate in the investigation, a news release said.
Utah’s surge in measles cases comes amid a nationwide outbreak. that Center for Disease Control A total of 1,648 confirmed cases have been reported across the United States.
Public health officials urge people who suspect they may have been exposed to measles to contact their health care provider immediately.
The core content of this article was generated with the help of a large-scale language model and reviewed by our editorial team. The article itself is entirely human-written.
