Health officials say the best protection against measles is the MMR vaccine, which has proven to be 97% effective against the illness.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says measles is highly contagious. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours.
Officials say nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who come into contact with the virus will get sick.
The CDC reports 146 people had contracted measles across nine states as of Feb. 28. So far, no cases have been confirmed in Utah.
About 20% of the people infected were hospitalized. The unvaccinated child who died in Texas is the first fatal case of measles in the U.S. in 10 years.
In 2024, a total of 285 measles cases were reported in 33 states.
Utah public health officials encourage everyone to check their immunization records or talk to a healthcare provider to see whether they are protected from measles.
