OREM, Utah — In the days following last week's high school state wrestling championships in Orem, multiple teams that participated in the event have seen a rise in measles cases, Utah health officials said.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services expressed concern for any unvaccinated individuals who wrestled or attended the meet held over the weekend at Utah Valley University.
According to the department, measles cases have been confirmed among members of Division 4A wrestling teams since the meet.
Following the rise in cases, a letter from the Department of Health, in partnership with the Utah High School Activities Association, was sent to schools and athletes who had competed in the state meet in hopes of preventing a spread of the disease within schools.
SLC woman's struggle with allergic reactions was found to be rare disease after 10 years:
The rise in cases comes as health officials have been warning about the recent spread of measles in the state. On Wednesday, the Salt Lake County Health Department said the disease is "actively spreading," and asked anyone with measles or its symptoms to avoid attending work or school.
As of Friday, there were 300 confirmed cases of measles in the state, with 58 cases reported in the last three weeks.
State health officials said the best protection against measles is vaccination, with two doses of the MMR vaccine proving more than 97 percent effective against infection.
