Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

Measles Outbreak Widens in Southwest Utah and Arizona's Mohave County

Low local MMR coverage has left communities vulnerable to rapid spread.

Image
Sterile water is prepared for a one dose bottle of measles, mumps and rubella virus vaccine at the Salt Lake County Health Department on April 26, 2019.
Image

Overview

  • Utah reported five new infections, bringing the statewide total to 36, including four additional cases in Southwest Utah and the first case in the Bear River health district.
  • Mohave County, Arizona, confirmed 42 cases with one child hospitalized, and officials say the cluster is linked to the Utah surge.
  • Health authorities say the vast majority of infections are in unvaccinated people, with Utah reporting only one case in a vaccinated individual.
  • Exposure tracing includes a high school cycling event with roughly 2,000 potential exposures, plus alerts for specific sites and dates in Logan, Providence, and Hildale.
  • Schools in the hotspot show severe immunity gaps, including a kindergarten MMR rate of 7.7% at Cottonwood Elementary in Colorado City, while officials urge immediate vaccination as the CDC counts 1,491 U.S. cases and 38 outbreaks this year.