Health officials have identified what they believe is the first case of measles reported in Salt Lake County amid a current nationwide outbreak of the disease.
The Salt Lake County Health Department was alerted to a possible case of the viral disease on Monday, but a news release issued Wednesday says officials have been unable to confirm the diagnosis because the patient declined to participate in their investigation.
“The patient has declined to be tested or to fully participate in our disease investigation, so we will not be able to technically confirm the illness or properly do contact tracing to warn anyone with whom the patient may have had contact,” said Dorothy Adams, the department’s executive director.
“But based on the specific symptoms reported by the health care provider and the limited conversation our investigators have had with the patient, this is very likely a case of measles in someone living in Salt Lake County.”
Health officials urged residents to cooperate with health workers if contacted to help prevent the disease from spreading within the community. If contacted by phone, residents can confirm the legitimacy of health workers by asking the worker to send an email from his or her official .gov email address, or by calling the county health department at 385-468-4100 and asking to be transferred to the investigator who called them.
“Information we get during illness interviews is completely confidential and we do not share it with anyone — including federal, state or other local government agencies,” Adams said. “We collect the information only to investigate the source of illness and attempt to prevent further spread.”
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread to as many as 9 out of 10 unprotected people who are near an infected person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. County officials say two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are the best way to prevent infection and limit the severity of symptoms.
The disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but cases this year have spiked nationwide to the highest level since then. Utah has reported 59 confirmed cases this year, the majority in southwest Utah, according to the state’s Measles Dashboard.
All but two of those cases occurred in unvaccinated patients, with only one vaccinated patient testing positive, according to the dashboard. Seven Utahns have been hospitalized for measles.
Measles symptoms typically manifest seven to 14 days after infection. They include fever, cough, runny nose and red or watery eyes, according to the Salt Lake County Health Department. Patients with measles typically have tiny white spots appear inside their mouth two to three days after symptoms begin and get a rash within three to five days of the first symptoms.
About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles will need hospitalization, according to the department, with young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems most at risk.
People who suspect they may have been exposed to measles are asked to contact their health care provider immediately.