Salt Lake County health officials have added the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium and an Intermountain Health clinic to their growing list of possible measles exposure sites, warning anyone who visited during specific time windows to be on the lookout for symptoms. The alerts land as Utah’s measles outbreak, which began last June, has climbed into the hundreds, and officials are urging anyone who feels sick to stay home and call a health care provider first instead of walking into a clinic and risking further spread.
County Flags Aquarium And Clinic After New Case
As reported by KUTV, Salt Lake County added the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium to its exposure list after reviewing a recent measles case and, in a separate notice, flagged Intermountain Health's Salt Lake Clinic. According to the station, the aquarium alert was posted March 10–11 and the Intermountain clinic notice followed on March 12. County public-health staff told the station they will notify close contacts directly.
State Dashboard Pins Down Exposure Window
According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, the state measles response page lists the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium exposure as March 2 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and keeps an updated roster of exposure sites along with recommended symptom-watch end dates. The same dashboard shows the statewide total has climbed into the 400s, with 98 cases reported in the three weeks before the March 10 update.
Most Patients Were Not Vaccinated, Officials Say
KUTV reports that of the more than 400 confirmed cases so far, 338 involved people who had not received the measles vaccine. Utah State Epidemiologist Leisha Nolen told the station, “The measles vaccine is the best thing to protect your child,” and the CDC notes that two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles.
What Health Officials Want You To Do
According to the Salt Lake County Health Department, anyone who may have been at the flagged locations during the posted times should monitor their health for 21 days and call a clinician before seeking in-person care to avoid potentially exposing others in waiting rooms and clinics. The county site also lists local immunization clinic hours and contact numbers for people who need a vaccine or have questions.
Vaccination Guidance For Families
State health officials advise that people who are not vaccinated get the MMR shot as soon as possible, and they recommend parents of infants aged 6–12 months talk with a clinician about an early extra dose after a known exposure, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. For background on vaccine effectiveness and the disease, see the CDC's measles pages.
