Utah state health officials have so far confirmed 514 measles cases this year, including dozens from a spike in spring.

That total amounts to roughly 22% of the nation’s 2,318 cases recorded so far this year.

Among all 50 states, only South Carolina has seen more measles cases than Utah this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That doesn’t include the 197 cases reported in Utah last year — the first of which was documented in early June 2025, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.

Where has Utah seen the most measles?

Statewide, the total number of cases since the outbreak began last year (711) amounts to a per-capita rate of 20.6 cases per 100,000 residents, according to DHHS.

The region that’s reported the most measles cases since the outbreak began last year — 266 — is the Southwest Utah Health District, which is made up of Washington, Iron, Kane, Beaver and Garfield counties.

There, the per-capita rate is a much higher 93.2 cases for every 100,000 residents.

In northeastern Utah, the more rural TriCounty Health District (which covers Daggett, Duchesne and Uintah counties) has recorded 80 cases, amounting to the highest per-capita rate in the state at 138.8 cases for every 100,000 residents.

Close behind is the Central Utah district (comprising Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier and Wayne counties), where 108 cases amounts to a per-capita rate of 130.4 for every 100,000 residents.

Where one lives doesn’t necessarily determine how likely someone is to contract measles, said Jeffrey Eason, director of the state health department’s communicable diseases office.

“Ultimately, the driver of this infection is individuals susceptible to the disease, because they could not or choose not to be vaccinated,” Eason said.

Salt Lake and Utah counties

In Utah County, 116 people have gotten sick.

The county’s larger population, though, makes for a lower per-capita rate: 15.9 measles cases per 100,000 residents, falling around the middle among Utah’s 13 health districts.

Salt Lake County, the state’s most populated county, has seen 66 cases — with a per-capita rate of 5.4 cases per 100,000 people.

Who has been diagnosed most?

The vast majority of Utah measles cases (611) were found in people who were not vaccinated, according to state health officials.

The remainder either contracted measles while vaccinated (68) or didn’t know their vaccination status (32).

Nearly two-thirds of the people in Utah who contracted measles (467) were under the age of 18.

Fifty-five measles cases in Utah have been severe enough to land someone in the hospital, according to DHHS.

Outbreak is ongoing — but has slowed

In the last three weeks, the state has reported six new cases.

That’s significantly fewer than spring, when — over a five-week period from late February through March — anywhere from 38 to 57 new measles cases were reported each week.

That period overlapped with several indoor events in which a number of unvaccinated people congregated in close proximity, Eason said.

More than 90% of Utahns are vaccinated against the “extraordinarily contagious” measles virus, he said.

Early symptoms include a high fever of 101 or more, cough, runny nose and red eyes. They typically appear about seven to 14 days after exposure, followed by a rash.

If you think you may have measles, call before heading to a clinic or hospital, so health workers can better prevent exposure.

State health officials suggest children first get the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine when they turn 1, because data indicates the first dose is most effective at that age.

Receiving it earlier has been a consideration when community spread is prolific, but right now, it’s “expected to provide limited clinical benefit to the general pediatric population,” the state health agency’s website states.

“We strongly encourage vaccination of all people older than 1 year of age, regardless of an exposure risk,” the agency advises. “One of the best ways to protect kids is to surround them with protected adults.”