First official measles case confirmed by health department in Salt Lake County
Nov 14, 2025, 10:59 AM | Updated: 11:25 am
FILE - A vial of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is on display at the Lubbock Health Department Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File)
(AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah health officials announced Friday that a case of measles was confirmed in one person living in Salt Lake County.
The Salt Lake County Health Department said the case is “especially concerning” because the source of the patient’s infection is not known. The patient was unvaccinated, the department said.
“They have not knowingly had contact with anyone who had measles, which means their infection is the result of transmission somewhere out in the community,” said Dorothy Adams, executive director at the department.
Officials said epidemiologists were working to notify anyone who might have had direct contact with the individual. It was found that the patient visited Taylorsville InstaCare, located at 3845 W. 4700 South, while infectious.
Therefore, the health department advised anyone who was there on Nov. 7 between 3 and 7:15 p.m. may have been exposed, even if they did not have direct contact with the patient.
“People who were there should confirm their measles immunity status immediately,” the department said. “You are considered immune if you have documentation of one or two doses of the MMR vaccine (depending on age), laboratory evidence of immunity, a previous diagnosis of measles from a health care provider, or a birth year before 1957.”
The health department said the vaccine recommendations for age are as follows:
Measles vaccine recommendations vary based on age and vaccination history:
- Children should receive two doses of measles vaccine: one dose at 12 to 15 months of age and another at 4 to 6 years.
- Adults born before 1957 generally do not need to be vaccinated because they are likely already immune to measles due to widespread infection and illness before the measles vaccine became available in 1963.
- Adults who were vaccinated before 1968 should have a second dose because the vaccine used from 1963–1967 was less effective than the current vaccine, which became available in 1968.
- Adults who were vaccinated in 1968 or later are considered fully protected whether they have one or two doses, though certain higher risk groups (college students, healthcare workers, international travelers) should have two doses.
Anyone unsure of their vaccination status was directed to use the Docket App to check their records.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated.
