By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On Friday, March 6, the Southeast Utah Health Department announced that it had confirmed a positive case of Measles in Carbon County.
“There are no exposures in Carbon County Schools from this individual,” said the SEUHD in a release. “Public health officials are actively conducting contact tracing to notify known individuals who may have been exposed.”
The department identified the case as a man aged 45-64 who had been vaccinated against the virus.
The SEUHD has reported exposures at the following locations:
This marks the latest in a growing number of measles cases statewide. Since June, Utah has confirmed over 350 cases of the virus. The first in the state came on June 20 last year in Utah County. The first reported case in Southeastern Utah arrived months later in September, when an unvaccinated individual in Moab tested positive for the virus.
According to state data, southeastern Utah has seen a total of three confirmed cases of Measles.
Symptoms of the virus typically appear seven to 21 days after exposure, and can include:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- A rash that starts on the face and spreads downward
“Anyone experiencing these symptoms, especially if they have been in contact with a known case, should contact their health care provider. The best way to prevent measles is through vaccination,” closes the department’s release. “Individuals who are unsure about their vaccination status should check their immunization records and consult their health care provider.”
The Measles vaccine is available at each of the SEUHD’s offices.