Measles Cases Surge in Utah, Half Diagnosed in March

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The measles outbreak in Utah has accelerated, with 116 new infections confirmed over the past two weeks, compared to 85 cases in the prior two-week period. The biggest jump in cases occurred in northeast Utah near the Colorado and Wyoming borders, while cases also continued to expand in urban Salt Lake and Utah counties, as well as in the southwest Utah area where the outbreak first emerged.

Why it matters

Measles is highly contagious, and the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. The surge in cases highlights the need for high vaccination rates to achieve 'herd immunity' and prevent further spread of the disease, especially among unvaccinated young children.

The details

The 116 new infections confirmed over the past two weeks bring the total number of Utah cases for the duration of the outbreak to 559, with 362 of those coming in 2026. About half of the total cases were diagnosed in March alone, indicating a rapid acceleration of the outbreak. In neighboring Arizona, 15 new infections have been confirmed over the same two-week period, all but two in Mohave County.

• The measles outbreak in Utah first emerged along the Utah-Arizona border in early 2026.
• From March 3-17, there were 85 confirmed measles cases in Utah.
• Over the past two weeks (from March 18 to April 1), there have been 116 new confirmed measles cases in Utah.

What’s next

Health officials continue to urge residents to get vaccinated against measles to help control the outbreak and prevent further spread of the highly contagious virus.