Summit County health officials report no confirmed measles cases after airport exposure; urge vaccination

Summit County public health staff told the Board of Health on Wednesday that, despite a recent symptomatic measles case that passed through the Salt Lake City Airport and later traveled to Idaho, there are no confirmed measles cases in Summit County.

The update, delivered by public health staff, said national case counts remain elevated — about 1,088 confirmed cases across 33 jurisdictions as of the prior Thursday — and that roughly 96 percent of recent cases were among people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. Locally, the department said vaccination rates have remained steady compared with prior years and that county clinics are prepared to offer MMR vaccine to uninsured residents.

The health department described a May 19 incident in which an individual who later tested positive for measles passed through Salt Lake City Airport, traveled by car to southern Idaho and later returned through Salt Lake while symptomatic. Local staff said Idaho public health notified them and agreed to inform Summit County if suspected secondary cases were identified. Summit County staff said they have not received reports of local exposure and assessed county risk as low based on available information.

Department staff and the board emphasized how contagious measles is: staff referenced published guidance that measles virus can remain transmissible in an enclosed space for about two hours after an infected person leaves. The department said some travelers linked to airport exposures in other jurisdictions were given immune globulin treatment, which can affect both risk and public‑health notifications.

Board members asked about contact notification for passengers on the airplane; staff said they were not aware whether passengers were directly notified and that contact tracing would be handled by the lead jurisdiction for that flight. The department encouraged residents who lack insurance or who need MMR vaccine temporarily while visiting to contact the Summit County Health Department; staff said vaccine is available and they will not turn people away for inability to pay.

The update included brief clinical details: nationally, about 12 percent of reported cases have required hospitalization; children under 5 represented a portion of hospitalized cases. Staff also said a small percentage of cases have occurred in partially vaccinated people but that most cases are among the unvaccinated.

The department closed by reiterating its readiness to offer testing and vaccination, and by asking clinicians and community partners to report suspected cases so public health can act quickly.