First case of measles in Grand County confirmed

GRAND COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — A new measles case has been confirmed in Grand County, marking the 20th measles case in Utah this year.

According to a press release from the Southeast Utah Health Department, this is the first case of the disease in Grand County this year. The department says it is an unvaccinated individual under the age of 18, who was exposed to a positive case outside of Grand County. The department adds there are no exposures in Grand County School from the affected person.

The department says that public health officials are conducting contact tracing to notify any individuals who may have been exposed. Anyone experiencing symptoms or who may have been in contact with the affected person should contact their health care provider.

What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily through the air through coughing and sneezing. The CDC said those infected won’t see symptoms appear until about a week after infection, and common symptoms include high fever, cough, and a rash.

Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin.

Measles can cause serious health complications, especially for those who are not protected through the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline. They then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.