VERNAL, Utah — Utah health officials confirmed 56 total measles infections in Uintah, Duchesne, and Daggett counties on Wednesday, more than doubling the 23 cases last week as the disease continues to spread across the state.
While acknowledging that people have a variety of reasons not to vaccinate, the TriCounty Health Department encouraged everyone to learn about the benefits of vaccines to make "informed decisions."
“Everyone’s working together,” said Sydnee Lyons with the health department. “Our community is going above and beyond in terms of … trying to protect not only themselves, but their community members.”
'I'm absolutely shocked,' southern Utah hospitals caught in the center of measles outbreak
The TriCHD Board of Health wrote a letter to the public in 2024 warning that lower vaccination rates could lead to disease outbreaks.
We express sincere concern that in recent years the topic of childhood vaccinations has become controversial,” the board wrote. “We encourage honest discussions about the science, history, and health impacts of vaccines. We are confident that the value of vaccinations will be recognized through the health of our residents and/or outbreaks of preventable diseases.”
For more information and answers to common questions, they offer guidance and resources on their website here.
