Utah Measles surge prompts urgent warnings for Idaho residents

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Utah is currently seeing one of the nation's worst outbreaks of measles.

Idaho public health officials weigh in on Idaho's response, and what the public can do to help prevent the outbreak from spreading north.

Measles cases in Utah started in southern Utah in 2025 and have since grown, with cases reported in Utah County and Salt Lake County.

Outbreaks also emerged in New Mexico, Texas, and South Carolina, signaling that measles is "back" after the United States declared it eliminated in 2000.

Idaho has recorded one case this year, compared to 20 in Utah, but the high degree of travel between the two states is a significant concern.

"Certainly, measles is so contagious, and when we have an outbreak in Utah, we pay attention here in Idaho," said Dr. Christine Hahn, the State Epidemiologist for the Idaho Division of Public Health. "We know that we have lots of people that have family in Utah that travel to Utah for business".

The virus is highly contagious; if ten unvaccinated people are exposed to measles, nine of them will most likely become infected. The measles virus can live in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left a room.

Both state and local authorities are using this as an opportunity to remind Idahoans that vaccination is the most effective and proven measure for protection. The state is especially urging travelers to check their immunization records.

"Among kindergartners, we're seeing about an overall 10 percent decrease in vaccinated kindergartners," said Rachel Mugleston, Health Strategies Program Manager for Eastern Idaho Public Health.

For the public, Mugleston advises routine measures like frequent hand washing, covering coughs, and covering sneezes. If traveling to an outbreak area, people should avoid visiting or being in close contact with people known to be sick.

Dr. Hahn and Mugleston stressed critical guidance for anyone who develops symptoms of measles, which include fever, cough, and a rash: If people suspect they have measles, they should not go directly to the emergency room or doctor’s office.

"Call ahead and tell them, because it is so contagious, they'll want to kind of keep you in a separate area," Dr. Hahn said. Calling ahead allows the facility to move the patient into an isolation room right away, decreasing the spread of infection through waiting rooms to vulnerable people who are not protected against measles.

While most people will recover from measles, certain groups are highly vulnerable to severe illness and complications like pneumonia or severe infection. These vulnerable groups include infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised people.

Mungleston concluded, "We're really just trying to hit hard with education. We want to monitor all the cases and try to mitigate as much spread of infection as we can by education on isolation precautions and intervening as soon as possible once we know that there's a potential exposure or even a potential case."