Students at Highland High School may have been exposed to measles for more than a week, as an infectious student attended classes from February 6th through February 13th. The Salt Lake County Health Department confirmed measles is actively spreading in the region, urging residents with symptoms to stay home. Notifications have been sent to potentially exposed students, particularly those without vaccination records. The health department warns unvaccinated individuals have a 90% chance of infection if exposed.
This incident follows a recent measles case in Tooele County. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services reports the state has now reached 300 confirmed measles cases in this outbreak, with 58 cases reported in the past three weeks. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash spreading from the face. The MMR vaccine is recommended, with 97% protection after two doses.
Of the 300 cases, 255 involved unvaccinated individuals. One in 12 cases has resulted in hospitalization. Measles has also been detected in recent wastewater samples across several Utah health districts.