SALT LAKE CITY — Two more measles cases were reported in Utah on Thursday, making it five total cases in the state in less than a week after not seeing a single case in years.
FOX 13 News spoke to state health officials to get answers about what the surge means for Utahns.
“We also do believe there are a number of infections in Utah that are undetected, so we think there will be additional people who are identified over the coming weeks,” Utah’s state epidemiologist, Dr. Leisha Nolen, said.
Nolen shared that getting the MMR vaccine can help ease any worry.
“This vaccine is exceptionally good, but we know there can be people who can get infected even after they’ve had the vaccine. Those people tend to have a much more mild infection. They don’t have to go to the hospital. They get over it much more rapidly, and they don’t pass it on to other people.” Nolen explained.
Utah health officials give full briefing after cases rise to 5 in state:
Three of the current measles cases are in Utah County, with the other two reported in the southwest. The new cases are linked to those who had been previously diagnosed. All the cases involve patients who were not vaccinated against measles, and two are also pregnant.
Dr. Andrew Pavia, with the University of Utah Division of Pediatrics, said they generally don’t vaccinate babies between six and twelve months because it doesn’t last as long, but you can give your baby a dose between that time period if they’re going to be at higher risk. That includes if you’re traveling to a place where there is a measles outbreak, or if you’re traveling internationally.
“Babies under six months, there’s really no protection, other than the mother’s own antibodies, so if you are up to date on your vaccines when you get pregnant, your baby has some protection for the first three to six months of life,” Dr. Pavia said.
Nolen and Pavia urge anyone who is currently unvaccinated to speak with a doctor and get the vaccine.
Why just 5 measles cases are enough to worry Utah health officials:
“For 90% of Utahns, we are protected because we’ve got the vaccine," said Nolen. "So for most of us, there is not a need for significant concern. I do think the people who are unvaccinated, it is a time to start really talking to your doctors and thinking about what the risks are to you and your family.”
Nolen added that general hospitalization for measles is usually related to pneumonia, but there are a number of other things that could happen.
“People can have such high fevers or such difficulty eating foods that they get dehydrated, and in severe cases it can go and infect somebody’s brain, have problems with thinking, and get really serious brain infections,” she said.
Patients who went to the hospital with complications had more illnesses on the minor side, but they were still significantly ill.
The last time Utah saw a single measles case, prior to the new five, was about two years ago when a traveler came back to Utah from a foreign country. Nolen said that at the time, the infected patient did not spread the disease to anyone else.
