Utah Becomes the New Center of U.S. Measles Cases
The New York Times • • health
Key Points:
- Utah is experiencing a significant measles outbreak with nearly 600 cases since last summer, primarily affecting children and leading to 49 hospitalizations due to severe symptoms like dehydration and respiratory complications.
- The outbreak is spreading widely across 22 of Utah’s 29 counties, moving beyond traditionally insular communities to the broader population.
- Despite state requirements for two doses of the MMR vaccine for public school students, about 11% of kindergartners in the 2024-25 school year have exemptions or lack vaccination documentation, contributing to lower herd immunity.
- Vaccination rates need to exceed approximately 95% to effectively control measles spread, but current rates in Utah have declined since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
