Utah Measles Outbreak 2026: 90 Cases, 10 Active Outbreaks Across the State

Utah Measles Outbreak 2026: Current Status

Utah is experiencing one of the most widespread measles outbreaks in the country, with 90 confirmed cases in 2026 and 10 active outbreaks spanning more than a dozen counties and health districts. As of the week ending March 24, 2026, new cases are still being reported statewide — making Utah the third-highest state for measles case counts in the US this year.

See the full case count, trend charts, and outbreak map on our Utah measles tracker.

Where Are the Cases? County-Level Breakdown

Unlike the concentrated clusters seen in states like Texas and South Carolina, Utah’s outbreak is unusually diffuse — multiple simultaneous outbreaks stretching from the Southwest to the Wasatch Front:

County / Health District	Cases (2026)	Notes
Southwest Health District	18	Southern Utah, including Washington County
Utah County	17	Provo, Orem, and surrounding communities
Central Health District	14	Sanpete, Sevier, and other central Utah counties
Salt Lake County	10	Largest metro area in the state
Tricounty District	10	Duchesne, Daggett, and Uintah counties
Tooele County	5	Western Salt Lake Valley area
Davis County	4	North of Salt Lake City
Bear River District	3	Cache, Box Elder, Rich counties
San Juan County	3	Southeast Utah, Four Corners region
Summit County	2	Park City area
Southeast Health District	2	Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan
Weber-Morgan District	2	Ogden and surroundings

The geographic spread across 12 distinct county/district areas suggests multiple independent transmission chains rather than a single community cluster. Utah’s 10 active outbreaks is among the highest outbreak counts of any US state in 2026.

Recent Weekly Trend

New case reports have been substantial throughout early 2026, with a recent peak in early March:

• Week of March 1–7: 47 cases
• Week of March 8–14: 34 cases
• Week of March 15–21: 38 cases
• Week of March 22–28: 19 cases (partial data)

While the trend is decreasing from its peak, the outbreak is clearly ongoing. For context, most US states have zero measles cases in an entire year.

Utah vs. the National Picture

With 90 cases, Utah represents roughly 15% of the 619 total confirmed US measles cases in 2026. The national outbreak now spans 30 states.

Top states by 2026 case count:

• Texas — 152 cases (Texas measles tracker)
• South Carolina — 124 cases (South Carolina measles tracker)
• Utah — 90 cases (this page)
• Florida — 63 cases (Florida measles tracker)
• Arizona — 27 cases (Arizona measles tracker)

Why Utah? The MMR Coverage Factor

Utah’s kindergarten MMR vaccination rates have been a concern in recent years. Measles requires 95% community vaccination coverage to achieve herd immunity. When pockets of unvaccinated individuals cluster — whether in geographic communities, religious groups, or school districts — measles can move through those groups rapidly.

One measles case can infect 12–18 unvaccinated people in close-contact settings.

Check Utah’s MMR vaccination rates to see how the state’s kindergarten coverage compares to the 95% herd immunity threshold.

Is the Utah Outbreak Getting Better?

The trend data shows cases are decreasing from the late-February/early-March peak, but with 10 active outbreaks still confirmed and new cases reported in the week of March 22–28, the situation is far from resolved.

With outbreaks in communities ranging from Salt Lake City suburbs to rural southern and eastern Utah, health officials are working to identify and vaccinate unvaccinated contacts across a large geographic area.

What Utah Residents Should Do

1. Verify your MMR vaccination status. Two doses of MMR vaccine are 97% effective against measles. Check vaccination records, especially if born after 1957 or unsure of immunization history.
2. Know the symptoms. Measles begins with high fever (up to 104°F), cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes — followed by a distinctive rash spreading from the face downward. Symptoms appear 7–14 days after exposure.
3. Call before you go. If you suspect measles exposure or symptoms, call your healthcare provider before visiting a clinic. Measles is highly contagious in medical waiting areas.
4. Check if your county is affected. With outbreaks in 12 areas, most Utahns are within the affected zone. Residents of Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele, Davis, Washington, and other counties should be especially vigilant.
5. Unvaccinated individuals face the highest risk. Children too young to be vaccinated (under 12 months) and individuals who have not completed the 2-dose MMR series are at greatest risk of serious illness.

Related Health Data for Utah

• Utah flu activity — Current ILI% surveillance data
• Utah RSV activity — Hospital admission trends
• Utah COVID-19 activity — ER visit data
• Utah MMR vaccination rates — Kindergarten coverage data
• What’s going around in Utah? — Full health dashboard

Nearby States to Watch

• Arizona measles cases — 27 cases, active outbreak in neighboring state
• New Mexico measles cases — 12 cases, active outbreak
• Colorado measles cases — 9 cases, active outbreak
• Idaho measles cases — 4 cases reported in 2026

---

Data updated weekly from Johns Hopkins University Measles Tracking Team via CDC. See the Utah measles dashboard for the latest numbers.